71674-13FOUR-YEAR-OLD tennis ace Zoe Mansfield already has something in common with Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and that can't be a bad start to anyone's tennis career.

For both Zoe and Maria started playing the game at the tender age of four.

While most children that age are struggling to tie their shoelaces, Zoe, of Broome Manor Lane, is on court honing her groundstrokes.

Feeling fresh after beating off competition from children three times her age to win gold at the Old Town Festival, the youngster has now set her sights on reaching Grand Slam finals.

Parents Phil, 38, and Sue, 35, said they would be delighted to see Zoe repeat the success of 17-year-old Russian superstar Sharapova, but do not want to pressurise her into the big time.

Mrs Mansfield said: "She doesn't really enjoy the competitive side of tennis she just enjoys hitting the ball.

"She has brilliant hand to eye co-ordination for someone so young.

"She has a lot of talent and it's all very exciting, but I don't want to push her, I just want to encourage her.

"There aren't many talented female tennis players in the British game.

"Hopefully Zoe will be one to watch out for in the future."

Mrs Mansfield knew her daughter had a unique talent shortly after she was born, and her brothers, Reuben, 10, and Aedan, eight, have helped develop her skills.

"I've been rolling a ball to her since she has been able to crawl and the boys enjoy having a knockabout with her," she said.

"During the summer I try to take Zoe and the boys out at least once a week."

Coaches at Wanborough Tennis Club will now work on giving Zoe an all-round game and she will continue to practise at courts near her home.

Denise Wilkins, club coach, has only spent a few hours on court with Zoe but she believes she has what it takes to make the grade.

"When I first saw Zoe play I knew she had potential," said the coach who has witnessed hundreds of children play.

"Zoe stood out from the others, even when she was on court with children as old as 11.

"Her hand-eye ball co-ordination is very good and she is able to complete all the ball skills I set her.

"Obviously at this age the onus isn't on competition but on the children enjoying the game.

"We work through racquet and ball skills level by level and then move on to the main strokes until they have a complete game."

Tough competition for our reporter

Stepping on court against a four-year-old shouldn't be a daunting prospect.

But the thought had crossed my mind that this could be game-set-match-humiliation.

It was clear from the outset that Zoe has first-rate hand-eye co-ordination for someone so young.

The few hours of professional coaching she has received have already paid off and she adopts an almost-professional ready position as she waits to receive.

The focus of her coaching sessions is fun, but nevertheless she showed some solid groundstrokes.

She has a strong forehand grip and an excellent follow-through which makes her forehand dangerously powerful and accurate. Her backhand was the lesser of the two shots, but considering most children her age couldn't tell one end of a racquet from the other, the level of her game is already staggering.

Obviously, her serve and volley are still a few years away, but I think next time I'll pick on someone my own size.

Emma-Kate Lidbury