TENNIS ace Sam Hutt is the inaugural winner of our Wilts & Glos Standard Young Sportsperson of the Year Award.

Sam, a 14-year-old from North Wall, Cricklade, scooped a massive 33 percent of readers’ votes which came in by coupon, telephone and text.

Runner-up was Welsh youth international hockey player Lorna Bowman, from Fairford, with 21 percent of the votes cast and third was fast-improving Bourton Roadrunner Steph Lane (12 percent).

Sam said: "I am delighted to win the award and I would like to thank all the Standard readers who voted for me."

Sam’s schedule has, like his serves, been fast and furious since he won his Active Physiotherapy-sponsored monthly grant last August, in the wake of becoming National U14 tennis champion in both singles and doubles.

Shortly afterwards, he added the Wiltshire County Closed U16 Singles and U18 Doubles titles to his groaning trophy cabinet. Sam now combines his education with world-class tennis coaching during the week at Bisham Abbey in Buckingham-shire and has been globetrotting to further his career during the school holidays.

While in Florida for a month before Christmas, he competed in the world famous Orange Bowl tournament, represented GB in a match against the USA and had the opportunity to train at the Bollettieri Academy, whose most famous recruit was Andre Agassi.

Last year he also paid a visit to the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona where both Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray spent their formative years.

While in the States, Sam was able to beat the year-older Wimbledon Junior Champion Laura Robson in a training match. Laura went to make the Girls’ Singles Final at last week’s Australian Open.

But Sam’s mum Sue revealed that Laura’s new-found celebrity status made a huge difference when it came to their respective accommodation.

"Sam was staying in the Holiday Inn, while Laura had the use of Martina Hingis’s house," she said.

Sam has already qualified for the LTA Masters at Roehampton later this month as he starts a tough 2009 campaign playing against boys who could be two years his senior.

Another highlight later this year will be his exhibition match against Greg Rusedski – just out of retirement – when the new courts at Ramsbury Tennis Club in Wiltshire are officially opened in May.

Go easy on him, Sam!

The reader selected in our random draw for a £30 sports massage voucher courtesy of the Active Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, was Shaun Newton of Lechlade.