Shropshire youngsters have aced it in an art competition to mark the World Tennis Tour returning to The Shrewsbury Club. 

Forty children from schools across the county have been shortlisted in the Art of Tennis competition and will now spend a day at the club during next month’s Lexus W100 Shrewsbury tournament. 

Their entries will be judged by former professional tennis player turned artist Gabriella Taylor, who was once ranked as high as 162 in the world.

More than 1,000 Shropshire primary school pupils took part in the competition.

It proved an exciting new way for The Shrewsbury Club to engage with local schools ahead of hosting the biggest women’s tennis tournament in the UK this year, outside of the grass court season, between October 13-20. 

Dave Courteen, The Shrewsbury Club’s managing director, said: “We have always had the ambition for the W100 tournaments to be something more than just an event around a week of world-class tennis at the club.

“Sport enables people to express their creativity, with one of those ways through art.

“Pupils were encouraged to create a piece of artwork within the shape of a stencil featuring the W100 Shrewsbury tournament logo.

“We have been delighted with the response and it’s proved to be an excellent way of combining tennis and art. 

"The competition has really captured the imagination of pupils across Shropshire.   
   
“Stephanie Eufemia, a local artist, kindly acted as judge and we now have a final shortlist of 40 for the competition.”  

The finalists will all receive free tickets to attend the Family Fanzone Day on the penultimate day of the W100 Shrewsbury tournament.

They will have the opportunity to watch top semi-final action at an event which will attract leading British and international players, as well as having the chance to take part in a number of fun activities at The Shrewsbury Club.

Dave added: “We look forward to welcoming the children and we are also pleased that Gabi Taylor, the former British number five who played here at the club during her own playing career, will be joining us to present the prizes.

“Gabi will choose the overall winners and, as a professional artist, she will also bring some of her own work to display at the club.”  

Continuing the art theme, artist Emma Read will create a huge mural at The Shrewsbury Club during the tournament.

“Every player and official involved with the W100 Shrewsbury will paint a little bit of it throughout the week,” said Dave. "There will then be a big reveal of the mural, so that’s also very exciting."