Alannah achieves National Success
11 Feb 2010
Thirteen-year-old Alannah Griffin from Solihull School has smashed her way to a top ten national tennis ranking – despite playing almost exclusively at an older age level.
The supremely talented youngster, who competes with the school’s Under 16s, is now officially Britain’s number nine player in the Under-14 age group.
The ranking has resulted in an invitation by the Lawn Tennis Association to train regularly as both an individual and a national squad member at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
Alannah was one of only six British girls to reach the second round of last month’s Under 14 Grade 1 International Teen Tennis event at Bolton, one of the world’s top junior tournaments previous winners of which have included Roger Federer and Justine Henin. She narrowly lost to Britain’s number one 7-6, 6-4.
Her debut in the event followed winning the Under 14 Warwickshire title for the second year running in 2009 and clinching the Under 16 title the same year. She recently represented the county at Under 18 level for the first time in the 12 Counties event at Corby.
Alannah has also represented England at the Four Nations Championship at Under 12 level after winning her first Warwickshire title in this age group when she was 11, and has been a semi-finalist for Great Britain in a number of Under 14s European tournaments. She first took up tennis at the age of six.
Coached by Gary Naughton at Solihull Arden Tennis Club, she also attends training sessions in America with Nick Bollettieri who has worked with Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova.
Alannah joined Solihull School two years ago from St Alphege Infant and Junior Schools, joining her brother Oliver who plays for the school’s Under-15 rugby team.
Her mother Wendy Griffin said: “We don’t know where Alannah gets her skills from as she doesn’t come from a tennis background. It makes us all the more delighted with her success. Her coach is now targeting Junior Wimbledon for her when she is 16.”
She added: “We are very grateful to Solihull School for their encouragement and support and especially for allowing Alannah to take time off for national training.”
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