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Meet the next generation of Far North Queensland tennis stars

The Far North might be better known for producing young rugby league and AFL talents, but the region is also home to a number of rising tennis aces capable of serving it up to the state’s best juniors.

The Far North might be better known for producing young rugby league and AFL talents, but the region is also home to a number of rising tennis aces capable of serving it up to the state’s best juniors.

Cairns-based Tennis Queensland board member Paul Horn (above right) has earmarked six of the region’s brightest young tennis talents who are doing great things on Far North courts and beyond.

Coached by his father Tom, Horn was a prodigious junior talent himself, winning Queensland singles and doubles titles and consistently ranking in the top three in the state throughout his junior career.

Taichi Sato

Coached by Tom Horn at Edge Hill Tennis Club

The Edge Hill Tennis Club junior took out the 12&U Boys’ crown at the Queensland Champion of Champions tournament in Brisbane this month, a year after he was selected to represent Queensland Country at the Foundation Cup.

Taichi Sato. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN
Taichi Sato. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

Sienna Jensen

Coached by Guy Thomas at Edmonton Tennis Club

Jensen capped off her rise through the ranks by taking out the Australian Money Tournament Ladies Singles event at the Innisfail Open last September, followed by the 17-and-under Queensland Junior Development Series final a month later.

Sienna Jensen (on right) with fellow junior talent Phoebe Cahill at Edmonton Tennis Club. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS
Sienna Jensen (on right) with fellow junior talent Phoebe Cahill at Edmonton Tennis Club. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Chace Crema

Coached by Wayne Fielder at Innisfail Tennis Club

The Tully product enjoyed a fruitful 2019 with a number of big wins, including the 14&U Boys Singles at the Innisfail Open, 11&U Boys Singles at the Queensland Junior Development Series final and 12&U Boys Singles at both the Ingham and FNQ open age tournaments.

Chace Crema. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY
Chace Crema. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY

Zedneiyar Meafua-Uren

Coached by Warwick Jones

The Queensland representative is nearing the end of a stacked summer calendar which has seen her compete at the Brisbane International Schools Challenge, an elite competition on the Sunshine Coast and the prestigious Judy Dalton Country Cup in Melbourne.

Tennis player Zedneiyar Meafua-Uren, 12, who has been selected to represent Queensland. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS
Tennis player Zedneiyar Meafua-Uren, 12, who has been selected to represent Queensland. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Logan Lizzio

Coached by Wayne Fielder at Innisfail Tennis Club

The Cassowary Coast rising star won three gold medals in singles competition last year, claiming the top prize at the Innisfail Junior Age (14&U Girls), the FNQ Junior Development Series at Innisfail (15&U Girls) and the FNQ Junior Development Series finals in Cairns (15&17U).

Logan Lizzio. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS
Logan Lizzio. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

Giselle Kawane

Coached by Guy Thomas at Edmonton Tennis Club

In 2019, Kawane took out the 14&U Girls Singles event at the Sarina Age, before claiming the 15&U Girls Singles gong at the Queensland Junior Development Series finals. She has spent the past two weeks at the Goolagong National Development Camp in Melbourne.

Giselle Kawane. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE
Giselle Kawane. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Originally published as Meet the next generation of Far North Queensland tennis stars

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/meet-the-next-generation-of-far-north-queensland-tennis-stars/news-story/c8262c7188e7f2f55d407306326a4302