Andrew Evans accepted the job last week and contracts have been signed.
Currently coaching in Dubai, he is due to arrive in the Island on 10 January and will get straight to work with both junior and senior squads.
‘Andrew’s main priority will be to get the junior programme up and running again, and to set up programmes for the development and recreational players too,’ said relief club manager Frank Tausney.
‘But he is also keen to set up something for the over-35s who are the club’s main player-base.’ Tausney said that the club intends to have the junior section already in action when Evans arrives.
‘With the help of Rebecca Edwards at the CILTA and Chris Fancourt, who coaches here, we will have something in place so Andrew can see our players and be able to sort things out as he sees fit.’ Evans has coached and played at the highest levels and had a high British ranking when he was younger.
He won the 2003 British Over 35s championship singles and doubles titles and, in Dubai, won the Coral Beach Tournament this year.
He was also Venus Williams’s number one hitting partner when she was World No 1.
Born in Derbyshire, Evans is still one of the county’s top players and won the inter-county cup for his home county last year, in the over-35s division.
He is an ICA-qualified coach and played in the higher levels of German National League Tennis for eight years.
He also gained the German Coaching Performance Award while living there.
Hugh Raymond, from the CI Lawn Tennis Association said that the club has made a very good choice.
‘I know the club will be getting everything set up for the coaching ahead of Andrew’s arrival, and I hope his appointment will bring a bit of stability to the club.
‘The CILTA/LTA is very happy to be able to part-fund the position and we’ll do all we can to make him feel at home here.’
