Oswestry School – Young Tennis Player Returns From the Welsh Tennis Championship

09 Oct 2017

Year 4 Bellan House pupil, Christian Hawkey, has just returned from the U9 quarter finals of the Welsh Tennis Championships held at Wrexham Tennis Centre during the first weekend in September.

The Welsh Championship brought together young, talented players from all over the country. Christian was initially placed in a strong, competitive box, but battled through to win four out of his six matches. Reaching the quarter finals Christian was knocked out by two stronger players losing by just two points in three sets to one opponent.

Christian moved to the UK from South Africa at the age of two and a half and was eager to follow in his two older brothers’ footsteps by playing recreational tennis. However, he soon showed the grit, determination and focus required to compete on the competition circuit. By the age of six Christian was training with a mini performance squad and after winning the North Wales title at the age of seven, was selected to play for North Wales County.

Christian trains three to four times per week at Wrexham Tennis Centre under the expert eye of coach Cameron Upton. He competes regularly in competitions across the UK and is slowly working his way up the ladder; he plays a year above his age category. During the Easter holidays Christian was fortunate to train with Rada Nadal’s coach, Toni Nadal, at the Santa Ponsa Tennis Club in Majorca.

Alongside tennis Christian also plays for local football team TNS in their U9 academy and juggles his time between the two sports. He has been invited to play for the North Wales

tennis squad again this year and his will also start competing in stronger tournaments in the South of England competitions.

Christian said, “I am very excited with the start of construction of Oswestry School’s new sports hall and I am looking forward to putting in a few extra hours of tennis training once this first-class facility is completed”.

Photo caption

Christian Hawkey