Television presenter and former Grand Slam winner Sue Barker served up a treat when she called in on Winchcombe Tennis Club.

The 63-year-old was there to switch on the club’s new floodlights and she said she was “very honoured” to have been invited.

The go-ahead club were formed only a couple of years ago by a handful of enthusiasts and Barker, who won the French Open in the mid-70s, was certainly impressed by what she saw.

“It reminds me of where I started, it all started for me from a club like this,” said the former world number three, who was born and bred in Paignton in Devon.

“At the age of six I got a racket from my older sister who was 12 who said, ‘You can just pick up the balls’, but I thought, ‘No, I think I’ll try to return them!’”

Barker went on to enjoy a top playing career, culminating in that 6-2, 0-6, 6-2 French Open final win over Renata Tomanova in Paris in 1976.

The following year she reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and at her peak she was going toe-to-toe with some of the true greats of the game such as Chrissie Evert, Martina Navratilova, Billie-Jean King, Tracy Austin and Evonne Cawley.

But in addition to all being former top players they, like Barker, also have a deep love for the game at all levels.

“Tennis is for life,” Barker said. “It doesn’t matter what standard you get to, it’s about enjoying it, it’s about being on court and having fun.

“I was playing in that club with people of all ages – doubles, mixed doubles, a bit of singles – it was just so much fun.

“It’s sport for life and it’s also for fitness and for health as well.”

And referring to the new floodlights at Winchcombe Tennis Club, she said: “That’s why I think this is so good, it’s absolutely brilliant because it will make such a difference to so many people. That’s why I’m very honoured to be here.”

And if club secretary Peter Udale has his way, Barker will be back at the club pretty soon because he told The Local Answer: “We are hoping to recruit her for our ladies’ team next year!”

And if she did join, she’d be part of a thriving concern because the club, which is based at Winchcombe School, has around 130 members – 85 adults and 45 juniors.

“Our aim is to get as many adults and juniors from across the local community playing tennis,” said Udale.

“This year the club have had two men’s and two ladies’ teams in the summer league and we have two mixed teams in the winter league.

“We have a schools outreach programme working with local secondary and primary schools to get kids into tennis and the club has an active coaching programme for juniors and adults of all abilities.”

And while on the playing side the club seem to have all bases covered, they are also very pro-active off court as well.

“We have raised £65,000 to pay for electricity, water, floodlights and toilet facilities,” continued Udale. “We were given grants and loans from a number of national bodies – Sport England and the LTA – and also local charities, Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association, Dent-Brocklehurst Trust and Winchcombe Show.”

And their good work has certainly been recognised further afield.

“We were awarded the LTA Community Venue of the Year for the South and South West in 2018, receiving our award from John Inverdale on court at The Queen’s tournament this summer,” said Udale.