WITH tennis making a welcome return to the NatWest Island Games after being left off the 2005 programme in Shetland, the Jersey ladies’ tennis team for this year’s event has been announced – and is one of the best we’ve had in years, according to team manager Madeleine Lee.

The four who are making the trip to Rhodes this summer will be Francesca Dubras, Katie Gouyette, Sarah Jones and Kirsten McArthur.

Confident the girls can return with some medals, Lee said: ‘We think we’ve got one of the best ladies’ teams for some time and we think they will come back with some medals.’ The four girls involved, who are aged between 15 and 17, were all key to the Channel Islands gaining promotion in the LTA Winter County Cup and also impressed in the recent Caversham International tennis event at Les Ormes.

CILTA development officer Hugh Raymond also believes the team is strong.

He said: ‘I think the four girls selected are the best players in the Island at the present time.

They are playing regularly and playing competitions regularly which is needed because fitness levels are going to be important.

‘It’s nice to see so many youngsters representing the Island in the Games and it certainly bodes well for the future, especially as there are another group of youngsters coming through that will soon challenge.

‘This year you need to go for ten days so you are restricting the number of people you can select as many people will struggle to get the time off work but the girls we have chosen were all available and I think they will do very well in Rhodes.’