Anna Cheska

Today my second granddaughter celebrated her sixth birthday and her friends gathered around. It gave me an opportunity to talk to Boris the father of Anna Cheska. I first blogged about Anna back in June to tell people of her prodigious talent in the tennis world.

I spoke to Boris for some time and he related to me the pressures of being a parent of a very talented sports child. He has nothing but praise for the much maligned Lawn Tennis Association and during this summer Anna has made remarkable progress. In one summer this slim little girl has passed through the county and regional selection process to feature in North of England trials at Bolton where she was the sole girl from the northern counties (the others were from Scotland).

Suddenly I feel quite sorry for Boris (although he is so lucky to have a daughter who reflects his passion for tennis). Anna is so young and seeing her play with her friend (my grandaughter) this evening on the floor with a dolls house seemed so incongruous. He will have so many major decisions to make in the coming months. Still he has a lovely wife and he is a huge tennis enthusiast but I fear that the way forward could be rocky for the family.

She is still so young but that is the age that the nation discovers the talent. We must all rally around.

Anna Ceska

Anna Cheska is eight years of age. She arrived in England about three years ago and her father works for Loughborough University. He is Rumanian and her mother is Russian and when little Anna arrived here she spoke little English. The local school in their wisdom asked my lovely granddaughter Emma to be 'her friend'.

Now we have known the Cheska family through my daughter almost from Day One of their English experience. Boris spoke really good English but Tanya did not and has had to learn. Boris then joined my local sports club where I play bowls and quickly became the club tennis champion.

Anna was first described to me as 'sporty' and I could relate to that because Emma is 'sporty' but that was where the difference left. Anna loves tennis and I once heard her say to Emma that 'I just like to play'. There is nothing pretentious about this little girl.

I then began to hear that my club had a little girl who was seriously good. From another source came the news that Anna was being taken out of school for national training at Solihull! We have all heard it all before.

Last Saturday Boris and Anna came to practice at the same time that I was playing bowls so when I could I watched! I could not believe it! This little girl has got such power and technique that at times she was driving the ball past her father who is no mean player. I apologise to Boris and Tanya (and to Anna)but I just had to be the first to spot such a prodigious talent.

I will be amazed if this lovely little girl does not move forward into the professional rankings and we will all reflect in her glory!