Australian debut has Jack excited

TEENAGER Jack Hudson has proven himself one of the best junior squash players in the country, and later this month he will make his debut on the international stage.

Hudson, 18, jetted off to Singapore yesterday to complete a five-day training block before heading to India for the World Junior Squash Championships.

The competition will feature 171 players from 28 countries in both teams and individual events, with Hudson to be joined in the 11-player Australian contingent by fellow Tasmanian Grace Pattison.

While Pattison is no stranger to wearing the green and gold — it will be her eighth time representing her country — Hudson will don the national colours for the first time, in what is his last eligible year in the juniors.

“I will just be going in with some positive attitude really. I will try and win my first round. I know the competition will be pretty tough over there, so I’m just trying to do my best and enjoy the experience,” Hudson said.

“It [going to Singapore] will help to get me used to the climate over there and playing against some good players leading up to the tournament.

“I’ll train with some of the Singaporean guys and then the Australian squad meet a couple of days later and the team heads off all together to go to India.”

Hudson, who won the Victorian under-19 title a fortnight ago, has drawn French player Manuel Paquemar in the first round, before a potential secondround showdown against Mostafa El Serty, one of the top four Egyptian seeds.

Pattison will be preparing for a hostile affair when she takes on local Ashita Bhengra in her first-round match — and it won’t get any easier should she progress with top seed and defending junior world champion Rowan Elaraby awaiting in the second round after earning a first-up bye.

The championships begin next Wednesday and run until July 29.

I know the competition will be pretty tough over there, so I’m just trying to do my best and enjoy the experience. JACK HUDSON