Game, set and funding for Tennis Jeannie
Tennis Jeannie, a company whose unique service enables players to compete against each other by organising their matches and club tournaments through a dynamic website, has been awarded funding of £30,000 by Finance South East.
The company, which receives advice and support from the Thames Valley Enterprise Hub, will use the money to commercialise its ‘Virtual Club’ concept, bringing competitive tennis to clubs and their players throughout the UK.
Already established as a tournament organiser for commercial tennis clubs such as Esporta and Next Generation, Tennis Jeannie also services the needs of players who are members of smaller Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) affiliated clubs.
“Our objective is to make it easier and more enjoyable for players of all ages and standards to arrange and play tennis on a regular basis,” says Founder and Managing Director of Jeannie Ltd, Stephen Murphy. Jeannie is the players’ Personal Assistant. You tell Jeannie when you want to play and she will organise your social games and tournament matches.
“Playing regular competitive tennis is essential to the development of young players. Additionally, if we do not provide opportunities for players to compete, British Tennis will lose potential future stars to other sports.”
Murphy adds that currently there are not enough players at each gender / age / rating (playing standard) within a club to form a viable tournament. “We have solved this problem by grouping players from a number of clubs into geographic clusters so as to form a Virtual Club,” explains Murphy.
Junior players, perhaps competing in their first tournament, can play matches within their local community against similar ranked and aged players. And they can do so at times which are mutually convenient to both players as well as their parents!
The LTA supports this new concept as Jeannie takes the Virtual Club nationwide. Thames Valley Enterprise Hub is working Jeannie Ltd in terms of Business Planning and Strategy and raising finance, including the recently successful Catalyst Loan application.
Publish Date: 20th August 2008
