21 March 2013 | Tennis Victoria

Destanee Aiava (Narre Warren) and Jaimee Fourlis (Preston, pictured) have both been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming 14/u World Junior Team (Asia/Oceania Qualifying) competition in Malaysia.

The competition runs from 15-20 April and brings together the best 14/u tennis players from the Asia/Oceania region and is a great reward for both Aiava and Fourlis who enjoyed an outstanding 2012 and 2013 season so far.

“We are thrilled that both girls have been selected to represent their country in the14/u event in Kuching, Malaysia,” said Tennis Victoria’s Executive Manager of Tennis Operations Nick Hinneberg.

“It’s great for the girls to earn their spots from all the training and hard work they have put in, as well as their consistently strong National results.
“The experience will help provide them with a big step forward in their tennis development,” added Hinneberg.

Aiava is one of the rising stars in Australian tennis and after an impressive 2012 that included claiming the 2012 Optus 14s Australian Championships, she went on to win the Leader Newspaper Junior Sports Star of the Year while she was also a finalist in the VicSport 2012 Junior Victorian Athlete of the Year. Aiava is also a member of the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Fourlis currently trains as a part of the National Academy Melbourne with Maria Mirkovic and also trains with Kane Dewhurst’s VIDA Tennis Academy (Veneto Sports Club in Bulleen). Fourlis’ Australian ranking has jumped over 100 places to a career-best 184 since December last year and she also boasts an impressive ITF Junior ranking of 1429.

Both Fourlis and Aiava play in the Tennis Victoria Premier League competition and should be in action this Sunday for MCC and Kooyong respectively at Grace Park from 12pm.