Junior tennis in Pembrokeshire has been praised in a reception at County Hall hosted by the chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council. Clr. Bill Roberts said it was a 'small gesture' to recognise the County's success this year in junior tennis development. "The achievements made have been recognised by tennis's governing bodies - not only across Wales, but UK-wide," he said. Achievements include Pembrokeshire winning the Lawn Tennis Association's UK Local Authority of the Year Award for Tennis Development and Sport Pembrokeshire's tennis development officer winning the Welsh Tennis Coach of the Year Award. The reception was attended by local junior players, their parents and coaches, Peter Hybart, chief executive of Tennis Wales and Ed Tomp and Phil Thompson from Chevron, sponsors of Sport Pembrokeshire. Clr. Roberts praised the young players, saying: "These awards reflect their hard-work and commitment, as well as the support from parents and coaches. "We are an outlying, rural county, but we are a sports-mad county that in a range of sports, punches above our weight. "It's great to see tennis emerging as one of our strong sports - and that's down to you young people." Recent successes in local tennis include: • new tennis clubs based on school sites • an improving junior section at Haverfordwest Tennis club • the formation of a county tennis Coaches Association, Tennis Pembrokeshire • regular county squad coaching sessions • thriving links between schools and clubs - an exceptionally high number of Pembrokeshire schools are now playing in the Tennis Wales Inter- School competitions • The Chevron Pembrokeshire Junior Tennis League - which now involves six clubs in mini red, orange and green sections These achievements were reflected in the Inter- Club South Wales tournament, where the top Pembrokeshire Junior Club teams (Haverfordwest, Tenby and Fishguard) were either winners or runners-up in all three categories. Clr. Rob Lewis, councillor for sports, leisure, tourism and cultural services, thanked Tennis Wales and Chevron for their continuing support. "Chevron have always generously supported our Sport Pembrokeshire team, and it is only with such support that we can deliver a full development programme," he said. "Sport Pembrokeshire aims to make tennis accessible to everyone - with the emphasis on junior development. "The key is to establish clubs on school sites that are open to all, while also providing more specialist coaching for county squad players selected from these grass roots clubs."