TRIBUTES have been paid to a North Wales tennis stalwart who has passed away.

Denbigh Tennis Club treasurer Alastair McNab died on Tuesday, four days after he suffered a stroke.

A Facebook post from Denbigh Tennis Club stated: “It is with great sadness to report that our club treasurer, men’s team captain and long-serving player Alastair McNab has unfortunately passed away last night, following a stroke that he suffered last Friday morning.

“As our club treasurer and men’s team captain, North Wales Tennis’ chairman and a member of Tennis Wales’ committee, tennis has been something Alastair has been fond of since the 1970s.

“Alastair has been a great ambassador and player for the club over the years - something that we can’t thank him enough for.”

Mr McNab fittingly won Denbigh Tennis Club’s annual open tournament earlier this month, completing an unbeaten day to retain the title.

Denbigh Tennis Club committee member Steffan Jones said: “It’s just so sad.

“I don’t know what to say, really.

“From a tennis point of view, he has been amazing for the club.

“Without him and the hard work he has done, we wouldn’t have the new courts.”

A keen tennis player from an early age, Mr McNab represented Scotland at junior level and the South of Scotland at county level for many years.

Mr McNab first played for Denbigh in 1986.

He competed at Scottish junior level at the same time as Andy Murray’s mother Judy.

Speaking in 2012, Mr McNab said: “She was the number one ranked junior girl and I was the number three ranked junior boy in Scotland.

“Andy gets the fighting spirit from her!

“She had the ‘I’m not coming off court until I win’ mentality.”

A member of the North Wales Tennis management committee, he joined the Tennis Wales board in 2014 with responsibility to support participation and growing the game.