BRITAIN'S biggest ever free tennis promotion got under way yesterday with the launch of the LTA's Play Tennis 98 campaign.

In a bid to attract new players into the game and encourage existing players to take part more regularly, more than 1200 clubs, leisure centres, schools and public parks across Britain will today open their doors for this national week of tennis.

Actress Caroline Paterson, who plays Ruth Fowler in EastEnders, was at Glasgow's Western Tennis Club yesterday to help national development manager Ian Woodcraft and his team launch the Scottish end of the Elm project aimed at bringing 100,000 new participants into the sport over the next eight days.

''More than 100 tennis clubs and sports centres throughout Scotland are committed to staging many and varied events,'' said Woodcraft.

Here are a few examples. In the Glasgow area. TV star Kaye Adams will be on court at Western TC this afternoon and special coaching sessions for beginners will be held there on Monday. Woodend is to hold theme days and Ardgowan has the Reebok Rally Challenge and an American Tournament with barbecue on its packed agenda.

If you live near Forres you could take part in a 24-hour tennis marathon on Friday while Ayrshire can offer a tennis factory at Symington TC on Wednesday or the chance to exchange blows with Olympic athlete Brian Whittle at Coylton. In Edinburgh, Craiglockhart Tennis Centre has an extensive programme.

For details of Scottish clubs participating in the promotion from May 23 to 30, phone 0930 153040 (calls cost 50p per minute).