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Playing for Miki: Sumo Ito-Sheehan (above) serves up at Queenstown Tennis Club’s courts in Queenstown Gardens; Miki Nobuzawa (below)
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A colourful local tennis club fundraiser for an up-and-coming junior player has raised more than $2000.
The Queenstown Tennis Club hosted a doubles tournament last Saturday, requiring teams to dress representing their region, country or favourite movie characters.
Entrants were also playing for fellow club member 13-year-old Miki Nobuzawa, who plans using the money to play tournaments overseas next year.
Miki’s one of the top juniors for his age in New Zealand.
Queenstown Tennis Club president Teresa Chapman says: “When some of the kids show such dedication and commitment to perform well, we’re delighted to get behind them. Miki has dedication and natural talent. The support he gets is huge but the costs are also huge.”
Coach Lan Bale says having the money so Miki can travel to Europe or the United States for six weeks next year and get exposure to some of the world’s better juniors will mean a lot.
“These sorts of trips and experiences are invaluable and he really does work extremely hard so he does deserve his shot,” Bale says.
Miki’s immediate goal is to make the New Zealand under-14 team, he adds.
“If he keeps his head down and keeps working as hard as he is, he’ll hopefully put himself in a position to make the team.”
Saturday’s event attracted 15 teams, with five in the top grade which was taken out by South African pairing Bale and Felicity Oxnevad.
Graeme Smith and Sarah Patterson, playing as Chiefs rugby fans, won the 10-strong second grade.
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