Former deputy prime minister Damian Green joins Lawn Tennis Association president Sandi Procter along with LTA dignitaries from national and county level at opening of Wye Tennis Club’s padel court

Wye Tennis Club’s padel court has been officially opened - in front of high-profile company.

The club felt honoured to have had such a line-up of visiting LTA guests, which included Sandi Procter, who has recently started a three-year term as president of the Lawn Tennis Association, and Kent LTA president Mary Evans.

Also at the opening were Karen Drake, the LTA’s participation development partner, John Ratcliffe and Anna Wilson, both Kent LTA board members, and former deputy prime minister and club patron Damian Green, who was paying a sixth visit to Wye TC.

Padel tennis is predicted to be one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK over the next few years. It is played on a smaller court than tennis and is partly surrounded by a glass wall.

The scoring is the same as in tennis, but you serve underarm and can play the ball after it has rebounded from the wall - it’s a game for all abilities.

It will allow older players, who consider tennis too difficult, to continue playing because the court is smaller and the movement is more forward and backwards.

Club chairman Graham Sutherland introduced the guests in front of 150 club members. The club have four clay courts, one hard court and a padel court - all of which are floodlit - and the action was in full swing on all courts.

Sutherland said he was grateful for two £10,000 grants from Ashford Borough Council and the Frank Brake Charitable Trust, as well as £2,000 from their own Kent County councillor, Claire Bell.

The LTA then approved an £80,000 interest-free loan to be repaid over the next eight years.

Procter took note of the cardio tennis being run by Laurence Harvey, who’s also Herne Bay FC’s captain, as well as a ladies’ doubles match and a mixed match before