25 September 2025 | Tennis Victoria

In just a few days, three of Victoria’s most talented U/12 girls will take their tennis dreams to the world stage, travelling to Kazakhstan to compete in an ATF Tournament.

The Victorian trio, Darcy Bassist, Grace Janjua and Jocelyn Jia, will represent Australia under the guidance of National Development Coach Genevieve Lorbergs from the National Development Program (NDP), with the support of Wimbledon champion Stephen Huss. The tournament runs from 29 September to 4 October 2025 on outdoor clay courts, providing both opportunity and challenge for the young athletes.

All three girls are part of Tennis Australia’s National Development (NDP) Connect Program  which is designed to provide comprehensive support to young Australian tennis players from 11-16 years of age, prioritising both their athletic and personal development journeys. In the Connect Program, the private coaches from the participants home clubs remain the primary drivers of their development, with Tennis Australia supplementing their progress through tailored support. To qualify for the Connect Program, candidates must meet specific criteria set by Tennis Australia, including age, tennis ranking/rating, and performance in national and international events. 

At a training session last week, the girls shared how they’re feeling ahead of the competition. We managed to catch up with Grace and Darcy, whilst Jocelyn is currently overseas competiting and just met Rafa Nadal!

Whilst talking about her journey to getting to Kazakhstan, Grace, who recently competed successfully on clay in Europe, said: “I feel like my journey to Kazakhstan started this year in these big tournaments on clay courts where I had a good run, and then I went to Europe where I won in Amsterdam. So this will be my second time going international.”

For Darcy, the lead-up has been both exciting and nerve-wracking: “My journey started with my first nationals, which was on the hard courts in Adelaide. I do feel a bit nervous, but when [I began playing on] clay courts I felt a bit better. I’m feeling pretty excited to play against other countries, but this time I feel a little bit nervous too. I also feel like I’ve earnt this spot because I’m actually playing for Australia.”

Grace added that the team element makes the event even more special: “It feels more exciting knowing that I’m playing for Australia this time, but in a team. I think it’s really good that we’re all from Victoria, I think that proves Victorians are doing really well. It’s also good because we all know each other really well, so I think we’ll have lots of fun.”

Competing on clay presents  a unique challenge, especially with the unpredictable outdoor conditions. Lorbergs reminded the girls of the importance of adaptability: “You have to embrace it and it’s the same for both sides of the court,” she said, noting resilience is a key lesson in tennis and in life.

Huss echoed the competitive spirit Victorians are known for: “We don’t give up in Victoria, do we? As Victorians and as competitors, we want to take on that challenge. We’re out here, we’re battling, we’re fighting. We’re going to work hard and do our best.”

Both coaches expressed their pride in the opportunity for three Victorians to represent Australia together. “We are absolutely thrilled to have three Victorian girls who have been chosen to represent Australia,” Huss said.

Lorbergs agreed, adding: “It’s so exciting to see the Victorian girls all on the same team to represent Australia. You’ve got to enjoy it, there’s got to be an element of fun.”

As the girls make their final preparations before jetting off, they are not just competing for themselves but inspiring the next generation of Victorian tennis players.

You can follow the team’s journey across our website, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram as they take on the best young talent from across the globe.