NEXT Generation, Heslington, will carry North East hopes when they play in the £40,000 National Indoor Tennis League Championship finals at David Lloyd Tennis Centre, Stockton-on-Tees on Thursday (7pm).

They reached the final stages by winning their regional group and now play alongside 11 other regional winners bidding for a £14,000 first prize in the four-day event which ends on Sunday and which has attracted some of Britain's top players.

Next Generation will be led by South African Marius Barnard, the club's head coach and former ATP tour player, while other team members are Yorkshire player Ben Atkinson (Hull), Richard Urwin (Dorset) and David Brewer (Glasgow). York TennisClub first team member Gareth Adams and Ed Allinson (Lincolnshire) are the other members of the squad.