A TEENAGER has overcome serious injury to book an appearance at Wimbledon.
Sharni Stocker-Jones, of Ellesmere Port, will play on the All England Club's famous grass courts in the Road to Wimbledon tournament.
The Mostyn House School pupil's achievement is remarkable.
Sharni, 13, had to fight off competition from youngsters from more than 80 clubs in Cheshire to take one of the two berths available - just weeks after returning from a six-month injury lay-off with a dislocated knee.
Sharni's father Mal Jones, 43, said: 'She's made up with her performances and we are over the moon for her. It's against all odds really after her injury, so to qualify to play at Wimbledon so soon is like Christmas has come early for her!'
The Neston Tennis Club starlet, who has been playing since the age of seven, was competing on the national Futures circuit when she was hit by her knee problem in September.
The injury threatened to wreck her dreams of a career on court, but after months of hard work she has fought her way back onto the circuit.
Mal added: 'The circuit involves the top 50 youngsters in the country and she was among some of the most promising. Her rating is 7.7 which is pretty good when you consider people like Andy Murray and Tim Henman are 1.1.
'She has done really well to get back into it as it was an injury that could have been career threatening.
'We are concerned that she could suffer a recurrence of the problem but at the moment we are just delighted for her.'
Sharni secured her place at Wimbledon after finishing as a runner-up in the county finals held at the David Lloyd Tennis Club in Warrington.
She will now join the 63 other girls who triumphed in their county competitions at Wimbledon in the week commencing August 21.
