There will be a "Team Wanganui" vibe at major tournaments around the globe in coming months as professional Emma Hayman takes teenage sensation Paige Hourigan under her wing.
The 26-year-old New Zealand ATL squad member and nationally seeded No2-3, Hayman will pair up with the 17-year-old world ranked junior Houriganto room together overseas, while also helping the youngster to adjust to living out of a suitcase.
Speaking yesterday from Malaysia, where she is about to compete in a Grade 1 junior ITF tournament, Hourigan said it would be "going a bit far" to call their agreement a Obi One Kenobi/Luke Skywalker mentor to protege understanding.
"We're just going to do a few tournaments together and travel. It's good because she's older and has the experience."
While a regular visitor to Australia, Hourigan has also been called to places like Thailand and Korea for both ITF events and New Zealand Junior duties in the past year.
The South African-born Hayman, who has recent stamps to Kazakhstan and India on her passport before coming home to Wanganui for her sister's wedding, said they will be going to two ITF tournaments in Melbourne this month, then will make other plans if staying together is working out.
"It's just so she's not on her own she's 17 and quite new to it all.
"It's going to be good for me to have her there, and her to have me."
Hayman said when she roomed with NZ No1 Marina Erakovic for the Federation Cup, she saw how self-disciplined the world-ranked star was and wanted to help develop this in Hourigan as she travelled to more foreign lands.
"Literally, just getting a cab from the hotel to the site, it's a bit daunting when you're in these crazy places. If she's like me, she can be out on court 20 and it's very lonely.
"Just being courtside and giving that support, it just might help you get through a few tough matches."
