Trew-ly an ace time for our Sheila!

TENNIS

AGE IS merely a number when it comes to tennis - and Blyth’s Sheila Trewhella proved there is nothing stopping anyone from competing in the Jaguar Championships.

The 65-year-old joined David Lloyd Swindon team-mates Chinmoy Basu, Ricardo Du Bignon and Nicola Turner as they attempted to be crowned national champions in the evergrowing competition.

More than 1,600 players from 417 teams took part in the second year of the Jaguar Championships, a mixed-doubles event for adults in both improver and advanced categories.

An extra surprise in store for the teams was the sight of former British No.1 Tim Henman watching on, while a prize of Wimbledon Centre Court tickets were up for grabs plus the opportunity to drive Jaguar’s All-New F-PACE – World Car of the Year 2017 – for a weekend.

Trewhella and her David Lloyd Swindon team-mates missed out on the top advanced category prizes - but that did not stop the retired teacher from having a fantastic time in Raynes Park.

Trewhella said: “It is scary – at my age you never expect to be in something like this unless you are a professional player.

“I just turn out for my club so to be involved in this is special.

“You don’t mind losing to nice people and it is an excellent experience to take back to the club when you have guys serving at you at 150mph.”

She added: “When I was young there was not a club around where I used to live.

“I just went and played on a court but when I was at school I used to play for hours and hours against a wall before taking it a bit more seriously at college.

“I have spent the last 50 years trying to perfect my technique but I love the camaraderie of the sport - it is excellent fun and things like the Jaguar Championships are an added extra which I never expected.”

Trewhella is pictured below (second from left) with her teammates and Henman.