KIRKBY Stephen Grammar School Sports College's Community Sports Officer and head tennis coach Gary Payton, 44, is due to represent Great Britain on the courts in the World Cup in Antalya, Turkey, this April.
Gary, who was recently selected for the GB seniors tennis team, moved to Kirkby Stephen nine years ago. As a young player, he was ranked number 1 in Cheshire as a junior and with his Welsh qualification played for North Wales. His first senior county call-up was at age of 15 and he is still playing county tennis today.
Gary has also represented Wales at senior level on a number of occasions and captained them twice at Four Nations Championships. He is also playing for Wales seniors this May in the Four Nations Championships in Scotland.
Selection for the World Cup team comes on the back of recent performance in the British Senior (45 and over) open championships in which Gary went all the way to the final, beating two-time British champion and second seed Graeme Adams on the way (score - 7/6 6/4). Eventually, he lost the final to former British number one Jeremy Bates.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article