Australia’s top junior wheelchair tennis players have been selected to represent the nation at the inaugural BNP Paribas Junior World Team Cup in Knokke-Heist, Belgium this week.
This year, the flagship wheelchair tennis team event will feature a standalone junior competition for the first time, marking a significant milestone for the sport’s emerging talent pathway.
The Australian team includes junior boys’ world No. 6 Arlo Shawcross (Vic, 15), junior boys’ world No.8 Sonny Rennison (Vic, 13) and debutant Joshua Brass (Qld, 16), junior boys’ world No.32.
The team will be led by Greg Crump, who returns for another World Team Cup campaign as captain.
Shawcross is looking forward to the unique team atmosphere of the event.
“I am excited about the team environment of World Team Cup,” he said. “It is a team event so it’s really fun to come along and be part of the team spirit.”
The tournament marks a special occasion for Rennison, who will compete for Australia with some of his closest friends.
“I am most excited about World Team Cup because I get to come and represent my country with some of my best friends, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” he said.
“I’m really excited to experience the team spirit, give it our best shot and play some great tennis.”
In his first World Team Cup campaign, Brass is excited by the valuable opportunity to compete internationally while competing in a team environment.
“I am looking forward to World Team Cup because I get an opportunity to play against other players from different countries while still representing Team Australia,” he said.
“I am excited to be in the team environment, which I think is very good for everyone, and being able to play with my mates that I don’t always get to play with on a team.”
Crump believes the tournament offers players an important development opportunity both on and off the court.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for all the players to work as a team. Tennis is an individual sport, but getting players to work together, look out for each other and build relationships with other countries is a wonderful experience,” he said.
“This team has been around for quite a few years now, so we’re looking to go deep into the tournament. Where we finish is where we finish, but I think we’ve got a really competitive opportunity for 2026 in Belgium.”
Fifteen teams from 10 countries will contest the BNP Paribas Junior World Team Cup World Group from 27 May to 31 May. The junior competition begins with a round-robin group stage, with the top nations progressing to the knockout rounds to determine the final placings.