Bathurst tennis player Tayla Brasier will represent NSW in the national Australian Made Foundation Cup in January, winning her place on the state team after a series of trials.
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Forming a part of the Australian Made Summer of Tennis, the Foundation Cup gives children 13 years and under from rural and regional Australia the opportunity to compete nationally.
The Foundation Cup will be held in Adelaide and it will be Brasier’s first trip to the state.
Brasier said she is “super excited” to represent her state, saying it is a huge honour to be selected.
“I’ve never played someone from another state before, but I’m excited for the challenge,” she said.
“It also gives country kids an opportunity to play against other country kids, from other states.”
The Foundation Cup provides a chance for rural and regional tennis players to compete nationally, which is something they may not be able to do often due to cost and travel constraints.
Brasier qualified for the Foundation Cup via the country championships.
Braiser was set to face India Schreiber in the final, but the tournament was washed out on the final day and Braiser qualified for the Foundation Cup on default.
She is now one of eight finalists on the state team to compete at the West Lakes Tennis Club next year.
Braiser was full of praise for her coach, Andrew Mitton, who is also the Bathurst Tennis Centre head coach.
“He’s really good and he does it in a way for me to understand,” Braiser said.
Mitton has been coaching Braiser since she was eight-years-old and he said she’s developed well in his five years of coaching her.
“It’s great for Tayla,” he said.
“She’s dramatically improved and in the past 18 months she’s come a long way, competing in national events.
“She’ll hold her own over in Adelaide.
“She’ll get more wins then loses and it will be a good experience for her.”
Bathurst have got good history when it comes to the Foundation Cup, with Braiser becoming Mitton’s fifth student to qualifying for the event.
The best and fairest male and female players will each receive a $1000 cheque, presented by the Australian Made Campaign and the Fed Cup Foundation, to help with their tennis development.
“Rural Australia has produced tennis legends like Rod Laver, Margaret Court and Pat Rafter and it’s important that we create opportunities like the Australian Made Foundation Cup for the kids so they can develop their talents,” Fed Cup Foundation president Judy Dalton said.
Braiser is 816th in the Tennis Australia women’s ranking, a list topped by Samantha Stosur.