Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Ciaran books place in SW19 spotlight
Tennis
While all eyes will be on Sir Andy Murray to see whether he can successfully defend his Wimbledon crown, a tennis youngster from Canterbury is looking for his own moment in the SW19 spotlight. World No.1 Murray was again spearheading the British charge at this year’s Championships – which started last Monday – and one person who has been watching closely is 14-yearold Ciaran Brewer, safe in the knowledge he has already secured his own spot at the world-famous venue. It comes after the Canterbury High School pupil triumphed at the HSBC Road to Wimbledon South East boys’ regional qualifier at West Worthing Tennis Centre. He will now play in the National Finals of the HSBC Road to Wimbledon 14 & Under Challenge at the All England Club between August 14-19, where he will be looking to walk away overall champion of the tournament. And with Murray aiming to win Wimbledon for the third time and equal fellow Brit Fred Perry’s record, Brewer, who trains at Appeti Tennis Club, can’t wait for his own chance to step on the famous grass courts. “It’s exciting that I’ll be going to Wimbledon,” said Brewer, who beat Jamie Forrest 6-3, 6-0 in the final round. “I went through the county two years ago and got to play there but I did the Road to Wimbledon last year and lost in the first round. “I’ve had a good run of form – I wasn’t meant to win because I had a lot of seeds in front of me but I found it quite smooth. I’ve played better before but I just kept calm and carried on and it all went my way. “It’s Wimbledon – it’s the best tournament in the world so it’s going to be amazing.” The HSBC Road to Wimbledon National 14 & Under Challenge forms part of HSBC’S investment in grassroots tennis – an area of the sport the Official Banking Partner of The Championships has been supporting since 2008. Each year, more than 10,000 youngsters take part in the series of national tennis tournaments, helping to inspire the next generation of Wimbledon stars to take their tennis careers from the back garden to Centre Court. And with the chance to enjoy national success in August, Brewer is hoping this summer is just the start of his own journey to the top like Murray. He added: “I’ve been to Wimbledon every year with my club. We get school tickets. “I’ve seen Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer play. My favourite player is Juan Martin del Potro. He’s just got a huge forehand and I love hitting big forehands.”
HSBC is the Official Banking Partner of The Championships and is committed to supporting grassroots tennis, helping to inspire the next generation of Wimbledon stars to take their tennis careers from the back garden to Centre Court through the HSBC Road to Wimbledon 14 & Under Challenge. @Hsbc_sport