Young tennis star aims for the top
AManawatū teen has designs on one day becoming a professional tennis player.
Palmerston North Girls’ High School year 10 student Ayla Giesen, 14, is one of the region’s top young players.
Having started playing tennis at home when she was young, she played her first tournament when she was 7 and hasn’t looked back.
Now she said wanted to pursue tennis as a career, and go to college in the United States and turn professional.
Coached by Victor Romero, she is regularly training and spends time in Wellington
‘‘I have one day off aweek,’’ Ayla said. ‘‘I try to do my age in hours per week. I don’t think I do enough now. I’m doing enough to keep my eye in.’’
Ayla, ranked No 6 in the country for under-14s, plays interclub tennis and has been in Central rep teams for the past three years. She has a rep tournament later in the year in Christchurch.
The biggest tournament she has been to was a tier-three tournament in Whanganui where she played in the 14s and 16s grade and won both of them.
She beat a girl who was ranked in the top five in the country.
During the summer, she competed at a couple of ITF tournaments and went to a Queenstown training camp.
Ayla’s family live on a sheep and beef farm in Hunterville, so she boards in Palmerston North and when in Wellington she stays with doubles partners or coaches.
Tennis runs in the family as her brother, dad and grandfather play, while her greatgrandfather, James Giesen, competed in the doubles at Wimbledon in 1933.
Earlier this year Ayla received a junior scholarship from the Manawatū Seniors Tennis Club, which was awelcome contribution.
‘‘We struggle paying for everything because we just don’t have enough money. We have to sell firewood and eggs and honey from the farm to pay for transport, food, going to tournaments so I can be on top.’’