The 2021 North East of Scotland Championships get under way at Cults on Sunday with no fewer than 350 entries, the highest number of competitors for many years.
There are 36 events scheduled to take place, ranging from aged eight and under to over-60s.
Stonehaven’s Patrick Young, the defending champion from two years ago and winner in 2017, is the top seed in the Men’s Open singles, ahead of Joe Tirrell (Letchworth), Marcus McLaren (Gleneagles) and David Lloyd Dundee’s Cameron Fryer.
The quality of the 44-strong event is underlined by the fact that four-time winner Jonathan Lints (David Lloyd Aberdeen) is only seeded at number six.
Favourite for the women’s singles title is Annemiek Stark (Bridge of Allan), who also heads the girls 18 and under event, with Abigail Belibi (Holcombe Brook), the host club’s Anna Gillespie and Eleanor Cochran (Strathgryffe) seeded at two, three and four.
The other three seeds in the girls 18s are David Lloyd Renfrew’s Carla Ward, Cochran and Amy Hudson (David Lloyd Dundee).
Young is also top seed for the men’s doubles, partnered by clubmate Daniel Colvin, with Fryer and McLaren seeded to meet them in the final while Fryer is also number one seed in the boys 18 and under singles, ahead of Rubislaw’s Joe Miller, Gregor McIver (Stonehaven) and Alex Grant (Rubislaw).
In the 14 and under events, Logan Gillespie (Rubislaw), Isaac King (Gleneagles) ,Stonehaven’s Daniel Tibbetts and Ollie Anderson (Springwells) and Ward, Hudson, Jessica Currie (Cults) and Becky MacLeod (Gleneagles) are the top four seeds in the boys and girls respectively.
Former Rubislaw champion Mike Aitken, now playing for Fife’s Falkland LTC, is favourite to take the men’s over-45 singles, with Scott Martin (Rubislaw), Francis Kasia (Aberdeen Tennis Centre) and the host club’s Graeme Edward the other seeds.
In the Over 60s the seeds are William McLaren (Kinnoull), Westhill’s Henry Lints, Rubislaw’s Colin Burney and Simon Plummer (St. Andrews).
Play commences on Sunday morning and continues throughout the week with the finals scheduled for the following Saturday.