The next generation of stars will grace the courts at Mudgee Tennis Club with the latest round of the prestigious Junior Development Series.
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Players from nine to 17 will battle it out for the precious points with the end goal finishing in the top eight of their respective division at end of the series.
If players are good enough to do it, they will earn a berth at the South West Champion of Champions event.
Mudgee head coach Nathan Wilkins said the tournament was also an excellent chance for the local club to show off its playing stock.
“It only comes around once a year so it’s our chance to show the rest of the state what tennis in Mudgee is doing in the region,” Wilkins said.
“It’s our chance to advertise that the wheels in motion and we’re improving all of the time. We’ve got a few more kids compared to last year, which was one of the goals I had when I started (coaching in Mudgee)
“And I think we’ll get a couple more next year.”
When asked how the local player fare, Wilkins said while this weekend was important, it was just another step in their development.
“I would always like to think one of the local kids will have a good turn,” he said.
“But there is not a lot of pressure on them because for a few of them this is their first or second tournament.
“So this weekend is more of a long-term thing in terms of their development to see how they are going against other kids around the region.”
One Mudgee junior who could feature in the knockout finals, after battling his way through the round-robin games, is Josh Meers.
“He was only eight years old in the 11 years division and did not look out of place in making the playoffs,” Wilkins said.
“And he’s only improved since then as well, so I would like to see him make the playoffs again and maybe take an extra step or two.
“With the age system, a lot of them are very young for their division, so we have guys who are 11 about to turn 12, but they will be coming up against 13s.”
The standard of play on display in the under 17s is again set to be exceptional with the male and female players not only boating the skills by the physical attributes to excel.
“Last year the under 15s was very strong because we had all of the Central West kids here,” Wilkins said.
“But the tennis here for the 15s and 17s especially is quite high, especially for kids which is great to give some of the younger kids, regardless of if they are from Mudgee, of the skill level they can get to if they work hard.”
The round-robin pool games are played on Sunday morning at the Mudgee Tennis Club before the knockout finals in the afternoon.
RESULTS
Mudgee weekly results
Mixed Doubles
Division two
Round 7
Monday, June 8
C Callaghan / K Callaghan (19) d P Creagan/H Creagan (19)
P Orr / H Orr (11) d S Priest / K Priest (FFT)
A Whale / K Whale (20) d D Baggett / S Baggett (FFT)
P Tritton / T Devenish (19) d J Hughes / E Gordon (6)
J Murphy / A Jackson (16) d D Pirie / SJ Swords (13)
M Double / C Double (19) d T Wakeling / L Stewart (8)
J Blackman / J Power (18) d R Ninness / J Ninness (9)
L Beagley / M Cameron (19) d P Bones / H Bones (8)
Ladies Doubles
Division two
Round 7
Tuesday, June 9
C Guest / K Llewelyn (19) d L Cottee / SJ Swords (6)
M Parrotta / B Corbett (19) d E Gordon / L Murphy (8)
K Priest / L Stewart (19) d K Orth / M Sutton (11)
M Double / C Reynolds (19) d S Domet / T Devenish (9)
P Slade / H Bones (18) d J Burrow / T May (15)
Mixed Doubles
Division one
Round 7
Tuesday, June 9
C Smith / I Simpson (18) d K Norton-Knight / J Cook (9)
S Simmons / P Robinson (18) d J Single / B Kurtz (7)
A Macdonald / C Calzavara (17) d L Whitfield / R Wellsmore (10)