Four Aussie juniors will head to the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca after taking out their respective age categories at the Australian Rafa Nadal Masters event this week in Melbourne.
South Australia's Leana Nannapaneni and Victorian Nikolas Baker won in the 12 and under event, with Scarlett Dattoli (Victoria) and Oscar Andrews (ACT) victorious in the 14 and under finals.
All four players receive a once-in-a-lifetime trip to train at the Rafa Nadal Academy for two weeks in Spain later this year.
"We had a brilliant week here in Melbourne for the Rafa Nadal Tour Australian Masters event, with more than 60 players turning out to compete for a chance to win a trip to Mallorca in Spain to train at one of the best academies in the world," Australian Rafa Nadal Tour Masters organiser David Boyes said.
All competitors were invited to the Masters after winning their respective tournaments or being awarded the Values Trophy at one of the eight Rafa Nadal Tour state events held in 2022.
World No.2 and 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal met with the young players aged between 12-15 from around the country who competed in the event.
Players had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the values Nadal embodies as a player, and which are an essential part of the Rafa Nadal Tour, before competing in the Masters event which took place from 10-14 January at Royal Park Tennis Club in Parkville.
"It was such a great experience for our players who came from every state and territory, to get to meet Rafa Nadal, ask questions and learn about the way he conducts himself on-and-off court. He is a great inspiration for a lot of our young players and I'm sure they will remember this week for a long time," Boyes said.
| Rafa Nadal TourAustralian 2023 dates | ||
| Event | Date | Details |
| Launceston, Tas | 10-13 March | > View |
| Sawtell, NSW | 10-12 April | > View |
| Perth, WA | 2-5 June | > View |
| Brisbane, Qld | 29 June - 3 July | > View |
| Darwin, NT | 9-12 July | > View |
| West Lakes, SA | 18-21 July | > View |
| Victoria | 16-19 September | > View |
| Canberra, ACT | 28 Sept - 1 October | > View |
| Melbourne Masters | January 2024 | |
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