IT WAS hot work for 18 young players at the third event in the Southampton Tennis series.

The weather might have been better than for events one and two, but conditions were just as taxing. Ten of the players still managed to complete four matches each, despite the heat.

Joshua Barrett made the jourrney from Portsmouth worthwhile. His smooth progress to the boys' group final included wins over Mike Newman and Ben Pringle. His final opponent, Ed Baber, who got there by beating Aaron Keen and James Mack, continues to improve but Barrett demonstrated a winning selection of good shots.

In the consolation event Callum Brownlie beat a sprited Mike Newman, who nearly took the second set.

Clear winner of the girls' event was Jenna Watson, of Thornden School, whose movement and clean groundstrokes proved too consistent to challenge, although Emma Boucher and Alice Robson, from Havant, also impressed.

A second boys event saw top efforts from Simon Watson, Luke Newman and winner Thomas Greenslade.