Tennis: Crowther serves up junior return

Corban Crowther, in action during this year's AIMS Games, will represent New Zealand at the Australian nationals in Melbourne next month.

Tennis may lack the profile of rugby and cricket in New Zealand but in the Western Bay the sport is in a healthy state at grassroots level.

Former Mexico junior Davis Cup player Luis Luna, who is head coach at the Tauranga Lawn club, says Western Bay juniors are particularly dominant in the under-12 to under-18 grades.

"Last year we pretty much won every single division in our region in inter-club and the juniors have also been winning every single title that they play for. It is very healthy at the moment," Luna said.

Tauranga tennis player Corban Crowther. Photo / John Borren

"Peter Blow, who is the head coach at Gate Pa and Papamoa, and myself run the junior Western Bay of Plenty squads. We select the best players and train them and the teams have been very dominant."

Leading the way is Corban Crowther, 12, one of the leading junior players in New Zealand. The Tauranga Intermediate Year 7 student was selected for the New Zealand team to contest the Australian nationals in Melbourne in December.

Last month he finished third at the NZ Junior Masters in Christchurch, where the top eight players in the 12, 14, and 16 age groups are invited to play off against each other after accumulating qualifying points over the summer.

"I was number two seed in my pool and made it through to the quarters, which I won, before I lost in the semis," Corban said.

"From there I got selected for Tennis New Zealand training academy squad and the team to Melbourne."

Corban, who rates Rafael Nadal as his favourite tennis player, says making the field for the Junior Masters and selection for Melbourne are the high points in his career so far.

"I just want to be the best I can be. Before I move out of the 12s I want to win the New Zealand nationals and in the future be a top 10 player."

Luna has coached Corban for four years and rates his young charge highly.

"Corban is very dedicated and a hard working person. He loves tennis and his athleticism is something I picked up very early on. He comes from a very athletic family and was a reason I decided to put a lot of effort and my time with Corban," Luna said.

"It is going to be very tough for him in Australia. We have to remind ourselves that Australia has a big culture and history in tennis and they host the Australian Open. They are a powerful country when it comes to tennis and New Zealand is not.

"But technically Corban is ready and able to compete against kids from anywhere around the world but it will be a tough test."

Other Western Bay players Luna says to watch out for include Jackson Loom, Lucas Darling and 10-year-old Jack Quilty, who Luna calls a "little Corban".