We reveal 14 players to watch in Mackay tennis heading into 2024
From state title wins to interstate to success, they was an abundance of junior performances to savour across Mackay tennis. Discover 14 of the brightest talents heading into 2024 here.
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From U12s to U18s, there are plenty of notable names shaping the future of Mackay’s tennis landscape.
But two players in particular has year’s to savour in 2023, and will no doubt be hoping to build on their successes next year.
Discover 14 of the brightest junior prospects in Mackay tennis below.
Lexi Tapp
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Tapp represented Capricornia at the Queensland Secondary Schools Championships. Lexi is also an U16 representative for North at the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival to held at the Gold Coast in December.
Cheyne Adamson
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Adamson is set to feature in the U18 age group for North at the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival.
Lucas Chansoonsen
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Chansoonsen will also represent the North at the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival, and is set to compete at the Queensland Masters as part of the state’s top 32 U16s.
Raice Gibbons
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Gibbons is an U14 boy’s representative for team North at the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival. He represented North at the State Junior Masters Finals in Rockhampton and has also made the state’s top 32 for the Queensland Masters.
Reyne Gibbons
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
The younger Gibbons Reyne will figure in the u12 boy’s as one of the top 32 players for the Queensland Masters Race.
Lilly Shepherd
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
One of the brightest prospects from Mackay’s Pioneer Tennis Club, Shepherd has had a season to remember. The highlight was arguably qualifying as one of the top 24 in the nation to compete at the National Masters Race, which is set held at Melbourne Park, the home of the Australian Open.
She also won the Queensland State Age U16 girl’s singles and doubles, and represented Capricornia at the Queensland Secondary Schools. On top of this, Shepherd was a shadow player for the QLD team.
She has now won back-to-back Queensland State Age Titles which is a tremendous achievement. If that wasn’t enough, Shepherd also finished in the top 32 for the Queensland Money Race, meaning she has the opportunity to compete for $20,000 (yes, you read that right!) in January.
Josh Wilson
Club: Mackay Tennis Club
Much like Shepherd, Wilson has had a season to remember and is flying the flag for Mackay Tennis Club on this list. The highlight proved to be a second-place finish - after a heartbreaking tie-break loss - in the North Queensland High School trials despite only being in grade nine.
He won the Sunshine Coast U14 tournament, and was also a runner up in Rockhampton, while he took out the sportsmanship award at the Rod Laver nationals.
Wilson is already fielding scholarship offers from southeast Queensland, and a move to American college could be on the cards once he finishes school. A name to keep an eye on.
Noah Piperidis
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Piperidis will feature in the Queensland Masters Race as a top-32 player for U14 boy’s.
Tommy Louw
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Louw is in the U12 boy’s representative team for the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival. He represented North at the State Junior Masters Finals, and made the state’s top-32 for the Qld Masters in his age bracket. A
lso represented Capricornia at the Queensland Primary Schools Championships.
Lara Savige
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Savige’s talents were on display for the U14 girl’s representative team at the Queensland Junior Teams Carnival.
Tess Trifelly Jones
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Was in the U12 girl’s representative team for the Qld Junior Teams Carnival. She also featured for North at the State Junior Masters Finals, and represented Capricornia at the Queensland Primary Schools Championships.
Sienna Brooke
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Brooke was on the u16 girl’s representative team for the Qld Junior Teams Carnival, and represented North in the u15 girl’s at the State Junior Masters Finals.
Taylah Petersen
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Featured for the U16 age group at the QLD Junior Teams Carnival and represented North in U17 girl’s at the State Junior Masters Finals.
Harvey Savige
Club: Pioneer Tennis Club
Harvey was an U12 boy’s representative at the QLD Junior Teams Carnival.
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