KEEN tennis player Steve Broomhall was inspired by having British No1 Johanna Konta watching from the sidelines at the Jaguar Championships at Raynes Park.

Broomhall and team-mates Jeremy Burgess, Jacqueline Conway and Claire Slater, all members of the David Lloyd Farnham club, took part in the National Final of the competition.

More than 1,600 players from 417 teams took part in this, the second year of the Jaguar Championships, a mixed doubles event for adults in both improver and advanced categories.

The presence of Johanna Konta was an extra bonus for the teams. There was also the chance to grab Wimbledon Centre Court tickets and the opportunity to drive a Jaguar F-Pace for a weekend.

David Lloyd Farnham missed out on top honours, but it was still a special day for 40-year-old Broomhall, both on and off the court.

“It’s been great, we’ve had a fantastic experience to be able to make it to the final and get to Raynes Park in the first place, and we all really enjoyed playing against some top, top teams,” said the IT worker.

“It’s the only way I keep fit and it’s been really enjoyable for me. As a team, we’ve been playing together for a couple of years. We all love the social element of it and the fun we get out of playing, and we just want that to continue.

“There was a lot of excitement when we heard Johanna would be down for the day. She’s a great champion and it’s a huge motivation for everyone to play their best tennis.

“Watching her rise through the ranks over the past two years has been sensational. It’s so good to have a British player at the top of the women’s game, competing in the major championships and motivating the youngsters coming in.”

Teams had to battle through club competitions and regional finals to reach the national showcase, leaving the best of the best to show what they could do at David Lloyd Raynes Park.

Konta, who reached the Nottingham Open final last the weekend, only to lose to Croatia’s Donna Vekic in blistering heat, was impressed with what she saw at the Jaguar Championships.

“What Jaguar are doing is really positive, they’re encouraging people to get into tennis and be active and it’s a great way of promoting the sport that I love personally,” said the world No 8.

“The players did fantastically well and, most importantly, they were having fun and lots of enjoyment, which is great to see.

“The great thing about tennis is that it’s not held down by age. You can enjoy it all age-groups and with all weathers too.”

Johanna Konta was speaking as part of Jaguar’s partnership with David Lloyd Clubs. Visit www.jaguar.co.uk/jaguar-range/f-pace/index.html to find out more about the F-Pace, the official car of the Championships, Wimbledon.