TEAMS representing Hartford Tennis Club make up almost half the field in the South and Mid Cheshire Men’s League’s top two divisions.

Four of the seven sides in Division One are based at Chester Road.

Two more play in the second tier.

“It’s unheard of for us,” said team captain Dave Glenn.

“Nor is it a coincidence.”

He believes standards are higher than ever before and more members want to play for the club in the league.

To secure their spot, they practice together during the winter.

The weekly sessions are not new, but they have grown in popularity in recent seasons.

After starting them with a handful of friends who wanted more time on court to hone their skills, Glenn told the Guardian more than 20 players now regularly ask to take part.

“I get them down there, but after that they organise themselves,” he said.

“There’s a really great feel to it; people want to come down and play, and to get better.

“But they can’t do that playing in a doubles match with guys on the same level as them, so we mix it all up.

“It means you have members having a hit with other people in the club they may not have spoken to before, so there’s a social benefit as well.

“They enjoy it; it’s a simple thing, but important too.”

The system has been adopted by the ladies’ section with similarly impressive results.

Hartford have three sides in an eight-strong top-flight for the first time, and another in Division Two.

Glenn added: “Everything is still geared towards making the first team as strong as possible, and giving them every chance of winning the league.

“Being successful on court is one way of getting the club’s name out there, and we don’t lose sight of that.

“Pretty much everybody accepts the philosophy, and buys into it.

“If they didn’t, it would be much more difficult to make it work.

“That means Hartford doesn’t have lots of small groups, but a large one to which we all make a contribution.”