28 April 2017 | Tennis Queensland

Blake Ellis laughs when he recalls his introduction to tennis at the age of four.

“I started going to mum’s fixtures, mid-week ladies. She’d drag me along, with my grandma as well.”

But far from traumatizing the youngster, the ladies comp encouraged him to pick up a racquet, and by 6 years of age he was having lessons at Brookfield.

“My first tournament would have been 8 or 9, just a local under 10s tournament,” he said.

But it wasn’t until Ellis reached 14 that he started taking tennis seriously, and was first noticed by the National Academy.

“I didn’t really play too much when I was younger, mum made me take it easy, not too many tournaments and I only hit a few times a week…a lot of the kids that come in here [at age 11 or 12] are playing nearly every day, so it’s a big step up.”

It’s been a whirlwind few years since the tall teenager was first introduced to the academy; playing the junior Davis Cup for Australia in 2015, and winning the Australian Open Junior Boy’s doubles in 2016 listed among his highlights. All while studying for his OP.

“At the end of year 11 I decided to come and do schooling here…mum wasn’t too keen on me doing home schooling at first but I was doing well in school so she thought if I could keep it up out here, she would let me do it.”

The decision to go full-time at the academy paid off, earning Ellis an offer at Queensland’s prestigous University of Queensland to study Sports Science and Nutrition.

“I won’t want to do that this year, but next year I’ll start studying and see if I can balance it with tennis.”

Through the academy, Ellis is now coached by Wayne Arthurs. The two were paired after the US Open last year, and it’s a logical fit. Arthurs – once widely regarded as having the best serve on tour – has 12 ATP doubles titles, and a maiden singles title earned through dogged determination at 33 years of age.

Arthur’s ability to recognize and draw on his strengths – which aren’t dissimilar to Ellis with a big serve, and forward momentum – is something he’s keen to draw out in the teenager’s game.

“The game style he is trying to implement is up on the baseline, taking the ball early, trying to win the ball early in the first three or four hits,” says Arthurs.

“He’s 6 foot 3, strong, fit and agile for a big man, he moves around the court really well… His game style is like a Del Potro or Marin Cilic, these guys are bigger and they can take the game on in the first three or four hits. He’s got to embrace that game style. He serves at 215 kph already at 18 years old.”

He’s a cool customer, Ellis, who says he relaxes and watches TV episodes in his down time. But it’s his easy-going nature that Arthurs says is a challenge to overcome on court.

“I think a lot of it has to do with his headspace. He’s not overly confident in his own abilities so trying to get that out of him and get him to believe in himself,” says Arthurs.

“It’s that transition from being a good junior, which he has been winning the Australian Open Junior Doubles with Alex De Minaur, and then transitioning to the bottom of the pile at the next level.

“It can be very hard for your brain space to take that, but being an intelligent kid he can embrace that… It’s about understanding where he’s come from and where he can go.”

For Ellis, the career aim is top 100. But for now, his focus is on Europe, where he’s heading next week to play his last year of Junior Grand Slams.

At Wimbledon, he’s partnering 18-year-old French player Corentin Moutet, who’s already ranked inside the world’s top 500.

“I made the second round of both the French and Wimbledon last year, so if I can do better than that, hopefully a few rounds better than that, I’ll be happy…Cornetin is a very good doubles player I’m sure we will do really well.”