JUDY Murray has visited a gym in Bracknell to encourage youngsters to pick up their racquets and introduce them to games she played with Jamie and Andy Murray.

The workshop was held at the David Lloyd Royal Berkshire gym in Nine Mile Ride on Friday, May 24 and aimed to encourage families to play the sport.

Judy Murray has raised her sons Andy Murray and Jamie Murray who are grand slamming world number one tennis champions.

Ms Murray believes it’s important to teach tennis through playing games.

She said: “It’s actually better if you have more play type activities, tennis is a difficult sport and if it becomes all about a net and a bat and a moving ball its actually very difficult. This is all about developing the skills that you need to play tennis through fun games.

“They are all games that I used to play with Andy and Jamie when they were small, and they are things that can be done in the house.

“Tennis is a sport you play with someone and if a child expresses an interest parents have to know tennis will be difficult for the child unless they have someone to play with.”

The session was held in front of a window, which encouraged visitors to want to try the sport.

Judy added: “We did the session in front of a large window and of courses everyone watching thought that looks great, I want to try it. We are showcasing tennis in the best possible light.”

Judy loved seeing the engagement between parents and their children.

She added: “This is all about families and this is the best family sport because it doesn’t matter if your male or female, you can play as a family and that’s what we are trying to promote.

“One of the things I really enjoyed was seeing a dad with his daughter and showering her how to do the tweener, where you face away and have the ball and roll it back between your legs.”

The tweener is famously seen in tennis when players chase the ball and hit it between their legs.

Judy said: “It’s a spectacular shot. It looks really difficult but actually we had three-year olds doing it within a minute.”

The gym has recently undergone a £3.9m investment programme and received a new indoor and outdoor spa and a new outdoor swimming pool.

For more information about the David Lloyd Royal Berkshire gym, visit: https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/clubs/royal-berkshir.