Young ace nets glory

May 15 2003 By Christopher Beesley, Ellesmere Port Pioneer

TENNIS: LITTLE Sutton tennis ace Jordan McCulloch has served up another major success by capturing the North of England Championship at the South Ribble Club in Preston.

Jordan, 11, defeated Wirral's Ian Burns in three sets after battling his way through five rounds, played over a week, to secure his crown.

His dad Steve said: 'It was an open competition and attracted players from all across the country, as well the cream of the north.

'But after defeating several tough opponents from far and wide, Jordan ended up facing a lad who lives just up the road. It was a very entertaining match but, in the end, Jordan proved too strong for Ian.'

The win in Lancashire is the jewel in the crown of a hat-trick of recent victories for Jordan, who struck gold in the Wirral Open U12s Doubles tournament with Josh McTaggart and helped Cheshire's U13s gain promotion to Division One of the National League with wins over Warwickshire, Norfolk and Essex.

Competing in the number two slot against county play-ers a year older than him, Jordan showed few nerves in the decisive round of matches in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Steve said: 'It's been a great month for Jordan and he's progressing well, hitting the ball harder and more aggressively. He's really benefited from being on the National Futures programme and receiving the best training from the top coaches.'

As part of the National Futures scheme, which works to develop champions of the future, Jordan has become a regular competitor in continental competitions.

After picking up a silver medal at his overseas debut in France last year, he is currently preparing for an ETA tournament in the Italian city of Bibioni, near Venice, where he will face the leading players from across Europe.

Steve said: 'Trips abroad are becoming quite regular and Jordan is able to play on a variety of surfaces. He recently attended a clay-court training session at Sergi Bruguera's Academy in Barcelona.'

Jordan also plays tennis for Whitby High School and last week made his debut for their U13s team.