Tennis ace Caitlyn Portela, 12, has her sights set on playing at Wimbledon.
She has won eight out of 10 junior tournaments across Australia since January and is currently ranked No. 5 in Australia and No. 2 in New South Wales for her birth year.
Last weekend Portela won the Queensland Junior Championships for 12/U girls, a platinum event with more than 750 competitors from Australia, New Zealand, United States and Hong Kong.
“It felt really good (to win), I was really proud of it,” Portela said.
“It’s something I’ve been training for ever since I started playing tennis.”
On the weekend she competed in the Newcastle Platinum AMT Women’s Singles, which is open to all ages.
“I get nervous but it’s good experience playing against the older girls, they always help me improve my game,” she said.
Portela, of North Rocks, is also part of Tennis Australia’s talent development training program for elite juniors.
She is coached by Janine Thompson, who won the Girls Doubles in the 1985 Wimbledon Championships and has played at the Australian and US Opens.
“She helps me plan everything because she’s done it all herself,” Portela said.
“So having her helping me and guiding me is good.”
Originally posted m.dailytelegraph.com.au 20th July 2015
