A CARE group with two homes in South Craven is sponsoring young tennis player Luke Johnson as he embarks on a professional sporting career.

The 23 year old, from Leeds, turned professional in October after returning from the US, where he had spent four years obtaining a bachelor of science degree at Clemson University in South Carolina.

The Czajka Care Group, which owns and operates the Currergate Nursing Home in Steeton and Beanlands Nursing Home in Cross Hills, will contribute towards Luke’s training, travel and equipment costs as he competes on the ATP Futures tour.

Luke said: “Turning professional towards the end of last year has been hugely exciting, but the reality is that you need to compete in lots of tournaments in order to climb the world rankings which is very expensive, and the prize money simply doesn’t cover it at this level. Therefore I’m delighted to have the support of Czajka Care Group as I work towards progressing from the Futures Tour and onto the ATP Challenger Tour, which is the feeder circuit for the ATP World Tour."

Konrad Czajka, managing director of Czajka Care Group, said: “What Luke is doing is fantastic and we’re delighted to be supporting him as he follows his dream of a professional sporting career. We know that all of our residents and staff will definitely enjoy watching Luke’s progress over the coming months, and we will all be cheering him on as he competes in tournaments throughout the world.”