Two east Auckland rising tennis stars had the honour of being selected to represent New Zealand as members of its Junior Davis Cup team.
Cockle Bay Tennis Club players Luca Bland and Max Flanagan both made the team.
Luca was selected as part of the small squad to take part in the Asia/Oceania final qualifying tournament staged in Kazakhstan, while Max was its non-travelling reserve player.
The team was coached by Clint Packer and also included players Liam Youn and Alvin Na.
“We trained for a period of time and then a year before the event they begin the selection process,” Luca says.
“They start selecting a few players who seem to be at a higher level than the rest, to be put into training camps.
“At these training camps the top coaches in New Zealand look at the players and select who are the best of the best.”
Max says the coaches look at each player’s ability, work ethic, and commitment to the sport, “and we’re going through match play and points”.
“That’s the first camp. They look at our tournament results and do mental strengthening, and then we do a second camp.
“That’s more focused on points and ability. Then they select the team from there.”
Luca says starting with the wider group of about a dozen eligible players at the first camp, the group is then reduced to eight and finally to four after the second camp.
“Of course there’s a lot of pride representing your country,” he says about it how it felt to be selected.
“It also felt like a relief to know your work ethic and effort got the results you wanted and got you into that team.”
Max adds that a lot of people in this country are committed to the sport of tennis and there’s “just a big pride to represent New Zealand in a tennis team”.
Luka enjoyed a successful tournament in Kazakhstan. He played in six singles matches and four doubles matches over six days, winning four overall.
The New Zealand team competed against countries including Iran, Jordan, and India, all of whom they beat, to finish in 10th place.
“I think they just do everything at a higher level,” Luca says of the players the New Zealand team competed against in Kazakhstan.
“I don’t think their ball striking is any better than what we have in New Zealand.
“I think they’re just used to competing at such a high level for long periods of time and are used to the experience of competing at that level.”
Both Luca and Max have big goals in the sport of tennis.
“I’m trying to be more consistent and getting well-performing in some international matches, like the International Tennis Federation,” Max says.
“Overseas my next matches are in Australia and Fiji. I hope in the future to be on the professional tour.”
Luca says his goals include balancing his schooling with tennis.
“At the moment I want to go to college in the United States [in future] and you’ve got to keep up your academics and your tennis to get a good scholarship.
“I’ve got to focus on balancing that and also got a few tournaments coming up overseas.
“Because I don’t play in many tournaments overseas throughout the year I need to compete my hardest at them.”
Both boys have some helpful advice for younger players who are keen to follow in their footsteps.
“When you’re starting out in tennis and trying to improve, you’ve got to find that timetable or schedule that you enjoy and try to not burn yourself out too early.
“Try to find a club you have friends in and can have fun with because you don’t want to be playing a sport you don’t enjoy.”
And Max adds: “Be relaxed from the beginning and don’t take it too hard.
“If you burn yourself out too early you won’t enjoy it in the future.
“I took it quite easy when I was young and later I progressively went harder because I enjoyed it more.”
