Poppleton Tennis Club have gained high marks for their work in coaching youngsters.

The Lawn Tennis Association have given the club the second highest rating it is possible to achieve in the system which assesses the standard of facilities and coaching.

The only reason Poppleton did not get the highest rating is because they - like all clubs in the York area - do not have indoor courts.

The LTA accolade has been awarded because of the phenomenal success of the club's junior coaching scheme, with 80 youngsters regularly involved from the age of three or four years upwards.

Poppleton club coach Belinda Turnbull organises short tennis sessions, junior coaching, Easter and summer holiday courses and weekly coaching sessions. Among those who help her at coaching sessions are Rob Jones, York women's singles champion Tamsin Bush, Tom Cantrell and John Moore.

The coaching structure allows young players to move seamlessly from junior tennis into the senior ranks.

"It is Belinda's organisational skills as well as her coaching abilities which make the coaching system such a success," said club vice-chairman Dr John Bush.

"This rating by the LTA allows us to apply for grants to further what we are already doing."

French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten ignored hamstring problems to beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3 6-4 in the last ATP Masters Cup group match and earn a semi-final against Pete Sampras.

Sampras had earlier thrashed world number one Marat Safin 6-3 6-2 in the Lisbon tournament to clinch his place in today's semi with his 700th singles victory.

In the other semi-final, Safin, who still qualified for the last four as group runner-up, plays Andre Agassi, who powered past Swede Magnus Norman 6-3 6-2 in his last group match.