GREG Rusedski opened a new set of courts at a Crouch End tennis club today.

The former world number four coached children and adults at Coolhurst Tennis and Squash Club before cutting the ribbon on three new courts alongside Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green.

He said: “It's been a lot of fun helping young players as well as working with some of the older people who play here consistently.

“I think it's absolutely fantastic to have new courts and to be able to use the sports ground here to put these three courts in.

“The whole project has been brought together by the community. We've had the local MP here, we've had sponsorship from the estate agents, we've had the building people come in and build them.”

The courts are on part of a sports ground owned by St Aloysius College and pupils will be able to use them for training.

Daniel Pozzebon, 15, a member of the St Aloysius tennis team, was in one of several groups of teenagers to get coaching from Mr Rusedski today.

He said: “It was really good because he's known around the world for what he's done in tennis and what he's achieved, so I think it's quite good experience for me.

“First of all we were warming up our serves and then after that we hit a few points with him. We couldn't return any of his serves at all.

“I've watched him through nearly all of his grand slams. He's one of my favourite tennis players.”

Mr Rusedski said: “I think it's important to have all sorts of sports for young people whether it's tennis, whether it's football, whether it's cricket, whether it's rugby.

“The more sports facilities we have for kids the better off we are going to be because it keeps them away from truancy, it gets them to work harder at school and it gives them an opportunity to make a career out of sport if they want.”