Last year Jersey hosted the event for the first time in 25 years and the home advantage helped the ladies’ team top their group and gain promotion – their first since 1986.
Jersey have been rewarded with the chance to host the event again and the ladies’ team, now in Division 5b, will take on Cornwall, Avon and North Wales throughout the weekend.
The successful team of last year return under the captaincy of Jersey player Rebecca Edwards.
The side features two Guernsey players, Jo Robinson and Claire Randall, with the younger group coming from Jersey.
Island based Sarah Jones and Kirsten McArthur, the latter having recently returned from a successful tournament in St Malo, feature and returning to the Island are Francesca Dubras, from her base in Sutton, and Katie Gouyette, from her new base in Barcelona.
Six singles and three doubles matches will be played each day.
The men’s CI team will also be tested by strong opposition in Division 6a as they take on East of Scotland, Isle of Man and Leicestershire.
The team will be ably lead by non-playing captain Ian Morgan who has selected a very strong group of ten players from which he will look to pick a winning combination.
The side features Jersey’s Grant Collins, Matt Harris, Gareth Roberts, Mike Steigenberger, Jordan Roberts and James Faudemer, who makes his senior debut in this event after showing great determination and progress over recent years.
Four players from Guernsey make the squad in Chris Hickling, Patrick Ogier, Jimmy Woods and Stefan Cloete.
CILTA’s Hugh Raymond said: ‘Tennis has come a long way in the Channel Islands and now with Heather Watson and Dominic McLuskey leading the way in tennis terms, CI players being coached across the world, and the larger tournaments destined for Jersey next year means that tennis is becoming one of the major sports in the Islands.’
Play starts at Les Ormes tomorrow from 10 am and finishes on Sunday.
