Tassie juniors’ big chance
SOME of Tasmania’s brightest young tennis stars will be looking to mix it with the country’s best as the annual December Showdown unfolds at Melbourne Park over the coming weeks.
Across 16 days more than 1500 matches will be contested across a range of age groups, with the 18 and under and 14 and under championships already in full swing.
The 12 and under and 16 and under age groups begin next week, while during this weekend teams championships — played in the Davis Cup-Fed Cup style format — will take centre stage.
Lindisfarne Tennis Club coach John Playle is hoping some of his troops can put their best foot forward when they hit the courts, confident a year of travelling around the country will hold them in good stead.
“It’s about trying to work on what they have been doing all year round. Most of them travel to multiple tournaments around the country to qualify for nationals at the end of the year,” Playle said.
“From my perspective it is a bit of a reward for all the effort they put in throughout the year.
“They are going over there to compete, they are not going over to fill the gaps, but ut the four players ayers heading overer have been prettyy successful throughoutt the yearyear.
“George Anderson, he is only 10 and he is No. 1 in the country for his age, he is stepping up and playing a few age brackets above, it is about him gaining experience for the future so he can really go out there and have a crack at the title.”
Charlotte Ingram, who made last year’s final of the under-14 girls’ doubles championships, will feature in the under-16 girls singles.
The teams event, in which the top t three players p represent re their the state, will ffeature outfits from New Zealand, CChina, Japan, SingapSingapore and Oceania. Oceania Playle will coach an under-14 girls All-Star squad featuring Rebecca Finn, while Summer Wilkinson and Anderson will be in the respective girls’ and boys’ teams. “That is a good stepping stone for what could happen if they make Australian teams later on, matching it not only with the best in the country but the best from other countries too,” Playle said.