YOUNG tennis fans in Scotland are being offered the chance of a lifetime – the chance to meet Andy and Jamie Murray at an exhibition event, Andy Murray Live.
More than 300 children throughout Scotland will compete for the prize before meeting the major-winning brothers at the sell-out event on November 7, with special guest Roger Federer also set to make an appearance at the SSE Hydro.
The event raised more than £30,000 for Unicef and Young People’s Futures last time round, and promises a “mix of world-class tennis and some light-hearted entertainment”.
The winners will be guests of Andy and Jamie at Andy Murray Live and will chat to the players before they play in front of a home crowd. Fans are invited to participate in fun tennis events, sponsored by Speirs Gumley and Under Armour.
Mixed teams of four, each with at least one girl, will compete at local venues across Scotland at 10 events between July 16 and 23. Competitions are for club level players, not just for county or national competitors.
The events are being organised by Tennis on the Road, an initiative run by Judy Murray. The organisation aims to bring tennis to the next generation of kids, providing parents, teachers, coaches and volunteers with the tools they need.
Andy’s Mini Murray Days are for children aged between eight and 10 and Jamie’s Double Trouble Days are for those in the 11 to 14 age group. Players earn points for their team through timed mini-matches, skill-building exercises, relay races and tennis quizzes.
The top two teams from events in Musselburgh, Montrose, Anna, Hillhead in Glasgow, Inverness and Annan will go forward to a national final in October.
Andy said: “It’s important that kids enjoy competing and these kind of team events are all about learning how to play the game while having fun with your friends.
“I loved this kind of competition when I was young and I’m looking forward to bringing some of the kids to my exhibition in November so they can showcase their skills.”
Jamie said: “I want to see children develop their tennis skills by playing doubles. I always loved team competition and I still do so it’s great to be staging Double Trouble Days across Scotland”.
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