Launceston's Oliver Carswell has touched down in Canberra for the 12-and-under Australian claycourt championships, set to compete alongside the son of tennis royalty.
Playing in his first national tournament in 15 months due to the ongoing pandemic, the 12-year-old is in a draw of 32, headlined by Cruz Hewitt - son of Australian tennis star Lleyton.
Carswell has avoided the up-and-coming prodigy in the draw, set to face seventh seed Elijah Dikkenberg from New South Wales in the first round of the event, which is his fourth at a national level.
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The Launceston Church Grammar student qualified last month alongside Hobart pair George Anderson (14-and-unders) and Zola Case-Boag (12-and-under girls).
Tournament director Francis Soyer described the championships, which weren't played last year, as "crucial" to the players.
"Tournaments like the Australian claycourt championships are integral to the development of young players, and it's crucial for them to have the opportunity to benchmark their skills against competitors in their age group," he said.
Josh Partridge
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
