Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club in Streatham has unveiled three new artificial clay courts after receiving a £30,000 grant and loan from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

Wigmore head coach Michaela Denkova said: “Clay is great. It’s softer on your knees and ankles. The bounce is slower and you can slide on it, so you will get to a ball you might miss on a hard court. That means longer rallies, so it's also more fun and you develop a more consistent player.”

The club is run entirely by volunteers, with more than 500 members, and will celebrate its centenary year in 2011.