Emerging Queensland tennis player Kaylah McPhee making inroads on the world tennis circuit

Emerging Queensland tennis player Kaylah McPhee was a true sporting all-rounder as a child running around the Samford Valley, playing soccer, swimming, rugby league and athletics - until she was introduced to a tennis court.

Kaylah McPhee in action.

Emerging Queensland tennis player Kaylah McPhee was a true sporting all-rounder as a child running around the Samford Valley.

Soccer, swimming, rugby league, athletics — you name it, McPhee gave it a go.

“I was the first girl to join the Samford Stags (Rugby League Club),’’ said McPhee, who was ahead of her time when it came to a female playing league.

And it was during her sweep of sports see came across tennis.

“I was about six or seven years old,’’ she recalled.

“My parents had a tennis court in their backyard for them to play, and because it was in my backyard I started to play as well,’’ the past student of Samford State School and Kelvin Grove State College revealed.

Kaylah McPhee in action.

“I did not like it at first but it grew on me.

“Then I got into some group classes and had a lot of fun. The group classes were just fun with a bunch of other kids who lived around the corner from me.

“I played my first tournament at around nine years of age and trained a couple of times a week.

“It was all fun to start, then I decided I like tennis and wanted to get really good at it.

“I still played a lot of other sports, but I really liked ­tennis.’’

Now McPhee, 20 is on the tennis circuit, chipping away at her world ranking which is in the 500s.

“I was floating a long for a while,’’ McPhee said.

“But I had a couple of good wins last October and since then I cut my ranking in half and I am dropping lower and lower. It is getting there.’’

Kaylah McPhee

Travelling the world playing tennis may seem glamorous but it can also be lonely.

“It is difficult,’’ said McPhee. “You miss loved ones, sometimes it is hard in a foreign country by yourself.

“Like in India. I got sick, but I am happy I did it.

“It was just me for three weeks, but in the last week I was with another girl I met on the circuit and now we are really good friends (New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe).

“It is definitely challenging. But it is not all bad

“If you have a good friend, it is not that bad. And if you have a good win, you are happy.’’