The Bradford & District Junior Tennis League are to trial a new match format of three short sets.

This will mean that matches will count for Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) junior ratings, giving players opportunities to improve their status while playing local matches, thus avoiding the need to travel long distances to other tournaments.

Anna Bell (junior league organiser) and John Bretherick (Salts Tennis Club) have had further talks with Gavin Sutcliffe (tennis development manager for the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Association) and have agreed a number of benefits for the junior league this year.

Bretherick said: “Juniors who play will be able to obtain a British Tennis Membership and player rating for free – even those who play at clubs not affiliated to the LTA as the YLTA will support us with free junior player ratings.”

Sutcliffe explained: “The league will benefit from free use of the LTA’s software, which helps league secretaries organise events and input match results.

“These can be input by every team captain via the internet on the day of a match if required. There are other benefits as the league can create a database of players who they can then send details to of other tennis events, boosting the numbers who play the game.”

The league plan to keep the age groups the same for this year.

Bell said: “We thought it might be too many changes in one year to introduce all the new age groups, so for 2010 we will run under-15s and under-18s, with the possibility of introducing under-12s next year.

“I have checked with league chairman Pat Hardaker and secretary Dorcas Dupin and, because we are only trialling the scoring system this year, we don’t have to hold an extraordinary general meeting to put it in as a rule change.”

Bretherick added: “We have plans to hold a number of junior tournaments in the summer around the French Open and Wimbledon called the Bradford Junior Slam, with points being awarded to juniors who play in any of the three events.

“There will also be a Davis Cup-style junior club team knockout event in July following the completion of the league. All of these events will also count towards junior player ratings.”

Further details of the junior tournaments can be obtained from Richard Senior on 07855-764777 or richard@tennisunited.net.

Meanwhile, Salts Tennis Club have already started their spring coaching courses for juniors. They are split into four age groups: Futures Mini Tennis for seven and under (indoors at Sir Titus Salt School, Mondays 4.30pm-5.15pm; Wednesdays 6pm-7pm; Salts Tennis Club, Saturdays 9am-10am); Futures Midi Tennis for players aged eight to ten (indoors at Sir Titus Salt School, Mondays 5.15pm-6pm; Wednesdays 7pm-8pm; Salts Tennis Club, Saturdays 10am-11am); Challenge Junior Tennis for 11-13s (Salts Tennis Club, Mondays 6.15pm-7.15pm, Wednesdays 4.45pm-5.45pm, Thursdays 4.45pm-6pm); and World Tour Teen Tennis for 14-17s (Salts Tennis Club, Tuesdays 5pm-6.30pm; Thursdays 6pm-7.30pm; Saturdays 11am-12.30pm).