Match point!

We take a reader courtside at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, under the watchful eye of pro Marc Aspland

- Niall Hampton

Our new series continues with a trip to the seaside - we're in Sussex for the Lexus Eastbourne Open tennis tournament. The Digital Camera Apprentice format is a straightforward one: a lucky reader gets to spend a day shooting with a leading professional photographer in an exclusive one-to-one workshop session that reaches a wider audience. And today's pro is none other than Marc Aspland, chief sports photographer of The Times and The Sunday Times, who will be mentoring Neeraj Beri, an enthusiast sports photographer and self-confessed tennis fanatic. Our visit to the Lexus Eastbourne Open falls on the day of the second round of matches, where six British players are competing for places in the quarter-finals, slugging it out with a roster of international names who are in the final stages of their preparation for the start of Wimbledon on 30 June. The Lexus Eastbourne Open takes place at Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, close to the town centre. The club hosts six tournaments a year, but the Open, which has been held here since 1975, is by far the biggest draw.