It’s more a case of doubles rather than singles at Chalford Tennis Club because the go-ahead set-up have not one chairman but two.

And it is a marriage made in heaven because the joint chairs are husband and wife Rob and Ali Brady.

“We took the job on together and we’ve been doing it for about 18 months,” said Ali.

“And it works because Rob’s good at the actual hands-on stuff – he plays for the men’s B team – and I’m better at the admin.

“It’s the first time the club have had joint chairs and I’d highly recommend it.

“It’s such a huge job for one person and it’s worked out well.”

And it’s certainly been a busy time at the club, which have 250 members, because they have just got the go-ahead to build two new clay courts which will replace two of the existing five hardcourts, all of which are floodlit.

It is a big commitment and an expensive project but Ali said: “Yes, it’s very exciting. It shows the club are looking forward and moving in the right direction.”

Of that there is little doubt and Rob and Ali Brady, together with their sons Sam and Connor, have been a big part of that success.

“We’ve been involved with the club for over 10 years as a family,” said Ali, a social tennis player, who lives with her family just up the road from the club in Brownshill.

“Sam plays in the D team and is a great volunteer at the club.”

Connor plays in the C team, is a Level 2 tennis coach, and also does a lot of volunteering work. So much in fact that he was named Gloucestershire LTA Young Volunteer of the Year last year.

“It’s all the voluntary hours I make him do,” laughed his mum.

But while the ‘Brady bunch’ clearly do plenty at the club, Ali is very keen to stress that the success of the club is very much an all-round team effort.

“We’ve got five’s men’s teams and two women’s teams in the Gloucestershire Summer League,” said Ali. “The men’s team have just been promoted to the Premier Division.

“And we’ve got two teams in the winter league.”

There is also a thriving junior section and Ali added: “We’ve got a really good coach in Jack Gower.

“He’s been our club coach for just over a year and he’s great with the kids.

“He’s got a lovely manner about him, we’re very lucky to have him.”

Two others who have influential roles at the club are the men’s and ladies’ captains – Charlie Crisp – the performance coach – and Helen Williams.

And Helen, just like Ali, is part of a family concern because her husband Nigel is the membership secretary and her son Jacob plays in the men’s C team and is a great asset during the summer holiday camps too.

Her daughter Megan, meanwhile, as well as playing in the ladies’ team, is also the club’s social media consultant.

And in these days of high tech, that is certainly an important role as she promotes many of the events that are put on by the club.

“We do a lot socially but it’s something we want to develop even more,” said Ali. “We have social skittles evenings, social indoor tennis nights and we’re also going to the dogs at Swindon.”

For those who aren’t sure, ‘going to the dogs’ means a night out at greyhound racing! And while the dogs will be putting their best feet forward when they are let out of the traps, it’s fair to say that Chalford Tennis Club have been putting their best feet forward for many years now.