FOUR tennis players from the borough of Barnet have earned a place on the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) AEGON FutureStars Programme for 2011.

The programme recognises and supports some of the best juniors in the country, and the players will join 376 other talented youngsters who all receive varying levels of support and funding for their coaching programmes from the LTA.

The four are Essence Martins, Destinee Martins and Nathan Fernandes, who are all nine and train at the Gosling Tennis Centre. Britney De-Silva, nine, who trains at the David Lloyd Club Finchley, completes the quartet.

The players earned a place on the programme following a successful year on court and include a number of juniors retained from last year who continue to impress with their excellent results.

Steven Martens, player director of the LTA, said: “It’s an exciting time for British tennis with so many promising young players coming through the junior ranks.

“We recognise that it’s a long journey for players who develop through the player pathway. It’s therefore very important we continue to provide the necessary support and the AEGON FutureStars programme is central to this process.

“Identifying talent from a young age is crucial for player development but also for the future success of the sport. The new 2011 intake of players showcases a wealth of talent across different age groups and we hope that all of the AEGON FutureStars will go on to reach their full potential through the support we provide.”