EVESHAM's Bethany Pye may not have lifted silverware this week on the manicured lawns of Wimbledon – but she still enjoyed an unforgettable experience at SW19.

Pye, 15, who goes to Prince Henry's High School and lives in Evesham, featured in the national finals at the Play Your Way to Wimbledon event, powered by Vodafone – the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK.

Thousands of fourteen and under and eighteen and under players took part in the qualifying stages this year, leading to county and regional finals in June and July, with the winners progressing to the national finals on Wimbledon’s Aorangi Courts last week.

Pye, who described Emma Raducanu as her tennis idol, failed to progress to the latter stages of the tournament – but was still thrilled to be in attendance at Wimbledon and revealed it was an experience she will never forget.

She said: "It’s really good to play on the courts that all the professionals have played on and just to experience coming to Wimbledon.

"I liked watching Emma Raducanu who's definitely my favourite tennis player because she's very aggressive and I'm trying and aggressive tennis player so watching her at Wimbledon was very good.

"Knowing Emma played this event, it kind of shows that you can start at this tournament and then get to that high level like she did.

"It gives me a bit of belief that I can get there. If she did then I can."