YOU MAY not know it, but Chingford is home to one of the world’s leading female racket players.

No, Maria Sharapova isn’t in town for an impromptu photoshoot, and while the Williams sisters will soon be coming to London to compete at Wimbledon, they will not be preparing for the planet’s premier tennis event in Waltham Forest.

Instead, the Connaught Club, which can be located at the end of a dirt track off Rangers Road, plays host to one of the biggest names, not in tennis, but in squash.

Lauren Briggs, at 29, has scaled her way up the rankings during her nine years as a professional player and is now ranked inside the world’s top 20, after winning her fifth WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players Association) Tour title in Kuala Lumpur back in April. She heads to Egypt this week eager to continue on the path that she hopes will lead her to a place inside the world’s top ten.

Lauren is by no means a one-off for the Connaught Club, however. It has a pedigree, having previously been the club of choice for former world number one squash player Peter Nicol and Britain’s leading female tennis player Sam Smith.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, I went along to meet the local star for a masterclass in the sport.

After running through the basic techniques, Lauren entrusted me with one of her rackets and we traded shots, first on the forehand side and then on the backhand.

My tutor seemed content to dictate the rallies from the back of the court, while I ran myself into the ground in an attempt to retrieve her shots, the ball seemingly bouncing lower and lower with each lunge.

By the end of our 15 minute session I was using the racket not for swinging but for support as I stopped to regain my breath, with beads of sweat running down my face.

Little wonder that squash was once rated as the number one healthiest sport to play: in one hour a player can burn over 1000 calories – 70 per cent more than tennis.

In sharp contrast to myself, Lauren was unflustered, and must have relished welcoming her practice partner onto the court for a real challenge.

After the entertaining session, she was keen to pay testament to the club, as it has played such an important role in her development as a player.

“I live just five minutes down the road, so it’s my local club,” said Lauren. “It’s been here for my entire squash career and without the club I probably wouldn’t have even started playing squash. It’s been tremendously influential on my career.”

Lauren dedicates her life to the sport; she coaches three times a week and trains twice a day, six times a week.

But it is merely for the love of the game, and not the riches, or lack thereof, on offer.

“You can get a ranking by paying to become a member of WISPA, and then you can compete in tournaments around the world,” she said. “Travelling the world sounds very glamorous but it really isn’t as much as it sounds, although you do have a good time.”

The sport has been, well, squashed into the background by its more illustrious cousin. No fact illustrates that point better than the prize money on offer at the respective highlights on the tennis and squash calendar.

Wimbledon awards a total of £1.5million to the victors in the men’s and women’s draw, while squash’s World Open offered an estimated $270,000 in total prize money back in 2005.

Nevertheless, Lauren remains committed, and while she may have to cough up the cash to fly out to Egypt next week, she insists it will be money well spent.

“The best part of my job is to be able to do something you love every single day of the week,” she said.

Asked what her biggest achievement to-date is, she says it is to have reached a world ranking of 18, before pausing. “In fact, my biggest achievement is still enjoying it, even after all these years.”

Anybody interested in taking up squash at the Connaught Club should contact Geraint Hole on 020 8529 2341.