Western Australia, Australia, 27 December 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Tate Perks can’t wait to attend the Australian Open for the first time this summer.

The 10-year-old from Western Australia was randomly selected as the winner of Tennis Australia’s latest Hot Shots Tennis competition, which encouraged those in the Hot Shots Crew to share their favourite player in under 25 words.

Perks listed Australian champion Ash Barty as his favourite, describing her as “a great player” for “helping kids get into tennis”.

The soon-to-be grade five student receives an AO Travel family package valued at $5000. This includes tickets to Rod Laver Arena, plus accommodation and return flights for his family to attend Australian Open 2024.

“I was very excited,” Perks related about learning of his prize. “I didn’t think that I’d win it, so I was actually very surprised.”

Perks plays Hot Shots Tennis at the Condingup Tennis Club, near Esperance on Western Australia’s south coast.

“I like practising my backhand,” he said of his favourite part of the program.

> LEARN MORE: About Hot Shots Tennis

His mother, Kristen Perks, is a community coach and runs their club’s Hot Shots Tennis program, which has 20 participants.

“We only have 50 students at the local primary school, so we’ve pretty much got half the school coming,” she said.

The club’s Hot Shots Tennis program launched two years ago, after the local farming community rallied together to fund the installation of courts at the Condingup Community Centre.

This is helping tennis thrive in the rural town located more than 700 kilometres from Perth.

“We’re farmers and had just finished harvest when we got the email, so there was a bit of a scream out to Tate to let him know he’d won,” Kristen related. “We were all very excited.

“None of us have (been to the Australian Open before), so we’re very excited to be able to attend as a family.

“It’s going to be a big trip, but it’s going to be worth it.”

> SIGN UP: Join the Hot Shots crew

Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!