It is game, set and match this summer for one Sutton school girl picked to be a Wimbledon ball girl and to present flowers to the Queen.

Marianna Spring, 14, is a pupil at Sutton High School but has bagged time off school to work as a ball girl at Wimbledon and last Thursday she was chosen to present a posy of flowers to the Queen.

She said: "I have absolutely no idea I why I was picked but maybe it's because I am smaller than her and there aren't many people who are.

"They were really pretty flowers and it was really nice to get to do it.

"She was very nice and said the flowers were lovely.

"The next day everyone kept calling up saying they had seen me on the television."

To get the job as ball girl Marianna went through a series of selection processes, culminating in an X-Factor style elimination.

She said: "They chose schools in the area to put forward ball girls.

"Each school submitted a certain number of girls and then once training started they knocked out a few people.

"We had to do a lot of training like hand to eye co-ordination and trying to hit tins with tennis balls.

"I get to Wimbledon for about 10am everyday and leave at about 9.30pm, but we work in shifts once we are there.

"It's quite hard work during games and a lot of exercise."

Marianna has worked on some high profile games in the tournament so far.

She said: "I was the ball girl during the Venus and Serena Williams doubles match and also for Laura Robson but you don't really get to speak to them.

"I was also on the longest-ever game on Wednesday, but luckily I didn't have to work the whole game."

So has the glamour of Wimbledon persuaded Marianna to take up tennis? It seems not.

She said: "I used to play tennis but I don't play as much now, I prefer athletics really."