Jake DELANEY, has just returned from successful European trip

He got to QF in Italy.

Welcome back Jake!

Tennis stars set for Ipswich clay

AS THE top-seeded players jostled for early domination at the national championships on Wednesday, one keen onlooker was excited about the week ahead.

Tournament director Francis Soyer was impressed with Ipswich’s claycourt facilities during the Optus 14s National Claycourt Championships which finished on Monday.

He expects more junior talent to thrive on the new surfaces during this week’s 12-years national claycourt titles.

“Tennis Australia is getting focused now on putting more tournaments on clay courts,” Soyer said.

“It’s a great opportunity and a great centre here at Ipswich to make sure that’s happening.

“I’m in a pretty unique position to see them at the 12-and-under level and see them keep going and stay at the highest level right through the age groups.”

Melbourne-based Soyer said while the players involved in this week’s tournament weren’t as powerful as last week’s 14s competitors, they were rapidly sharpening their skills.

“Once we get to the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the 12s, it will be a little bit closer,” Soyer said.

He was thrilled to see juniors from all states and the ACT represented.

“It’s fantastic. We’ve got a very good turnout of players,” he said.

In yesterday’s matches at Leichhardt, boys top seed Jake Delaney, from NSW, progressed comfortably to the third round.

He beat Queenslander Jack Walton 6-0, 6-1 in their second-round clash.

That win at the George Alder Tennis Centre followed his 6-0, 6-0 first-round victory over another Queenslander, wildcard entrant Max Jacobsen.

Second seed Jack Lyttle, from Western Australia, also advanced yesterday by beating Jayden Nguyen 6-0, 6-1.

Lyttle is contesting this week’s tournament on clay having won the national grass court title in Mildura in February.

Third seed Brian Tran reached the third round after a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Queenslander Winter Meagher.

Fourth seed Oliver Anderson, a leading Queensland hope, beat Tom Barnsley 6-1, 6-2 in their second-round clash.

Anderson is one of the talented players working with respected coach Scott Draper at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

In the girls 12s singles draw, top seed Lizette Cabrera flew the flag for Queensland yesterday, winning her second-round match 6-0, 6-0 over Andjela Reljic from Victoria.

Second seed Anja Dokic, from Queensland, had a 6-2, 6-0 win over Western Australian wildcard Likitha Silapurem.

The third and fourth seeds – Queensland duo Kimberley Birrell and Olivia Tjandramulla – also advanced as expected.

Matches continue all week with finals in Ipswich on Sunday.

Next week, an array of international players from all over Asia will be in the city for the ITF Junior Grade 4 championships.

That will be the third event in Ipswich’s festival of elite tennis.

“I’m very happy (with the Leichhardt courts),” Soyer said.

“The maintenance crew have been fantastic every night patching up the damage during the day.

“They (the courts) will definitely hold up for the five weeks.”