Tennis' local tiny tyro | Coffs Coast Tennis | Tennis in Coffs Coast

(c) istockphoto.com/Michael Flippo

CORAMBA tennis player Matt Thompson has just picked up a decent slice of local history.

The nine-year-old recently acquired his first national rankings points and in doing so has become the youngest tennis player on the Coffs Coast to do so.

Young Matt's overall national ranking may be a fair way behind Lleyton Hewitt at 2427 but he is now number 15 with a bullet in his age group.

Matt played excellent tennis to pick up his first points at the Sawtell Optus Junior Tour event back in May by making the Round of 16 in the 12 years age group.

Matt's talent was first spotted by coach Allan Pade while he was doing beginner lessons at the Coramba Public School about 18 months ago.

With obvious talent, the pint-sized right-hander soon started private lessons with Pade and played in a couple of the Junior Development Series (JDS) super series tournaments last year.

For his troubles he impressively made it to Grafton for the North Coast Champions of Champions event as an eight-year-old.

In 2009, Matt has stepped up his training to include a weekly dose of Masters Squad, two private lessons a week, fitness training and Friday night tennis as well as the Saturday Morning Comp.

With all of that hard work behind him it is little wonder that Thompson has started getting the rewards that he has.

The Harbour Tennis Academy now has trained a total of 11 junior tennis players who have attained a national ranking with players including other newcomers to the lists in Conlan Brehaut and Tre' O'Brien.

Siena de Salis has rocketed to be number 1163 in the country and is fast closing in on the magic 1000 barrier which she's hoping to break within the next six months.