TEENAGE tennis starlet Matthew Umbers staged one of his best showings on the National Girobank Tour at Tunbridge Wells last week.

The 17-year-old from Church Lench started the week with a first round of defeat of Leicestershire's J Cross 6-4, 6-1 but his efforts were then thwarted at the quarter-final stage.

There was no embarrassment in defeat as the local youngster's conqueror was veteran Nick Weal, who went on to win the event.

After losing the opening set 6-2, Umbers made his experienced opponent fight all the way before succumbing 7-6 in the tie-break.