What does it mean to be a Tennis Avenue player?

It means that you have laid down your marker: the clear intention to become a tennis player. Nothing worthwhile is achieved without deliberate intent, and you have taken the first important step; you are no longer playing tennis part-time or "seeing how it goes", you are going all out for it.

It means nothing is impossible for you and no challenge is too difficult. You train in an environment with a long tradition of extraordinary feats achieved through belief, faith and dogged determination.

It means you train outdoors in all weather conditions without excuses or complaints, making you tough and resilient. You are never a victim of circumstance, and you are grateful for all that you have. You embrace adversity as your opportunity to grow.

It means you have the courage to be unconventional and step away from the herd to take a less trodden path. You think independently and remain steadfast and dignified when faced with whispers and opinions of those who may have less than honourable intentions.

It may even mean that you feel let down by an LTA system that does not work for you. Well, we are entirely independent of the LTA and if you are a fighter, you have found your home and the people who will fight with you and for you to the end - win or lose.

Miss. Ilge Alpay LLB (Hons)

Our great strength lies in producing home-grown winners; we spot potential very early and build champions "brick by brick". When it comes to working on technical foundations with children aged 8-12, our results are are second to none.

In this single picture of a previous Tennis Avenue generation, even before the school was formed are: SIX different players who went on to win Tennis Europe titles; FOUR different players who went on to become No.1 in Britain; one player who went on to become World Junior 18&U No.6 - subsequently top 500 ATP.

(Also one player who went to Oxford University after being educated by tutors who are now teachers at our school).

We are the only tennis academy in the UK that is also registered as an independent school (member of Independent Schools Association and inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate), where all students are striving for excellence in tennis.

We understand intimately the unique needs of elite tennis players. Our calendar, timetable and curriculum have all been meticulously designed to create the optimum conditions for training and tournament travel, while maintaining a stable and rigorous academic structure.

The daily timetable incorporates 3+ hours of training, including physical and mental fitness. The annual calendar allows for regular travel to Tennis Europe, ITF and other international tournaments as well as national events as a team.

Every year we take a group of players on a month-long trip to Florida to compete in Eddie Herr, Little Mo and Orange Bowl tournaments. We also schedule one or two weeks to train abroad on clay, with academies in Spain and the Czech Republic being recent destinations.

We know your priority is tennis. Students are able to travel and train while continuing to attend classes, even from abroad. We provide the best preparation possible for a life on the tennis tour. At the same time we provide the best possible insurance against things not going to plan: a great education.

In short there is no need to choose between an elite-level tennis academy with online schooling, or a great school with a sub-elite tennis programme. Tennis Avenue School is the very best of both, the evidence is in our achievements.