IT was a day the youngsters will remember for the rest of their lives.

Huddersfield children as young as six grabbed the chance to play against tennis star Greg Rusedski.

But he toned down his trademark power serve for the knockabout at Huddersfield Tennis Club.

Greg – whose mother, Helen, was born in Dewsbury – was at the Edgerton club to officially open its new sports facilities yesterday.

He took to the court against the youngsters and gave them hints on how to become champions.

He also predicted that Andy Murray would become a champion and is sure the current world number four will one day knock Roger Federer off the top of the world rankings.

Greg said: “This is what we need for the future of the game, to have these facilities and get people playing tennis.

“May this be the beginning of a future Wimbledon champion from Huddersfield.”

Improvements at the Cemetery Road centre have been almost nine years in their development.

But the club now boasts four indoor acrylic courts, four floodlit outdoor artificial grass courts and one all-weather hard court.

Greg added: “It’s great to see so many kids and adults playing because you need the combination of the two to have great players.

“I think if you look at society now, sport is good for young kids, whether it’s tennis or anything else because it encourages discipline, and values which are very good for young people. It keeps them off the streets.

“I think tennis in this country is getting better and better. Having people like Andy Murray helps because it keeps tennis in the spotlight and on the six o’clock news.”

He added: “If Andy becomes world number one or wins Wimbledon it would undoubtedly get more people playing tennis.

“He’s doing fantastically well and his recent run has been better than everybody, apart from Roger Federer.

“Right now the reason he’s number four is because he’s not won a Grand Slam yet.”

Greg hopes his work with the Lawn Tennis Association and meeting youngsters will help inspire a few youngsters to pick up a racquet.

“It’s important for me to give something back to the game and maybe help inspire people as well,” he said.

Farnley Tyas eight-year-old Jacob Mounsey was one of the youngsters who got to play Greg. He said: “Tennis is really fun and we get to play games here, which is good. I thought Greg was really cool and I’m glad that I got to play with him. He’s a really nice guy.”