Sevenoaks achieved a brilliant second place at the national AEGON Team Tennis Schools Year 8 finals on Sunday 4 December.

In a competition in which over 500 schools participated, Sevenoaks Junior Girls won through to last four. The teams had to overcome a difficult draw which meant they had to play the first seeds and title holders early on Saturday morning. Despite a brave fight back by captain Josephine Hogh, the highly rated opposition were just too good and our chance of winning the title disappeared. However, the girls came back fighting in the next round and playing some really intelligent tennis, made a great start against 2nd seeds Holmefirth, winning both doubles with the loss of only three games. Josie then won her singles, as did her sister, Cathrine playing at number 2, and the match was won!

With all to play for in their last match against Midlands champions Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Sevenoaks went out in a confident and positive frame of mind and again won both doubles and all four singles in quick successions, which gave them a 6-0 win and placed them in silver medal position, wishing they could have another go at the champions, Talbot Heath.

Martin Whitehouse, Kent Coach of the Year and Sevenoaks Head Coach paid tribute to the girls he has coached for the past seven years saying, 'The girls played their hearts out and only lost to a team who had both age and experience on their side. Our girls have another year in this age group so we hope to bring back the trophy in 2012.'

Sevenoaks were nationally ranked at number 8 prior to these finals and Martin and his colleagues are delighted that as a result of this year's successes at regional and now national level, the school should creep further up the leaderboard after their best ever year. We can certainly be very proud of the standard the school has achieved at national level.