8 July 2019 | Tennis West

WA’s top ranked junior player Tristan Schoolkate has progressed to the second round of the Wimbledon Juniors event after defeating seventh seed Toby Kodat (USA) 6-0, 7-5 in the young guns debut on the grass at the All England Club.

Upsetting the top ten ranked junior Kodat early in the match, Schoolkate dominated the first set with a 6-0 win. The American found form in the second set but was out classed by the unseeded Australian who held on to close out the match with a 7-5 victory in the second.

A win in the first round at Wimbledon bodes well with Schoolkate’s recent success on the European circuit with the Australian’s ITF Junior ranking surging to an all-time career ranking high of number 33 in the world.

Schoolkate’s latest rankings rise sees him as the biggest mover inside the top 50 ranked junior players, moving 12 points when the most recent rankings adjustment was made.

Schoolkate remains the only Australian in the Boys Singles draw with fellow compatriots Rinky Hijikata and Dane Sweeny bowing out in their first round matches.

Touring the European circuit over the last three months, Schoolkate has enjoyed consistent success with a Singles Final win at the J2 Prato (Italy) and a Doubles Finals win at the Grade A event in Milan (Italy) with doubles partner Dane Sweeny.

Furthering his dominance on the junior circuit, Schoolkate was a Quarterfinalist in both the Singles and Doubles events in Salsomaggiore (Italy), a Doubles Quarterfinalist in the J1 Beaulieu-sur-Mer (Italy) and a Singles Quarterfinalist and Doubles Semi Finalist in the J2 Istres (France).

Prior to Schoolkate’s European tour success, he and doubles partner Dane Sweeny won the Doubles Final of the J1 Nonthaburi (Thailand) where Schoolkate finished as a Singles Quarterfinalist. At the 2019 Australian Open Junior Championships, Schoolkate and Sweeny again joined forces, finishing as Quarterfinalists.

Schoolkate will no doubt look to follow in the footsteps of newly crowned world number 1, Ashleigh Barty, who won the Wimbledon junior event in 2011 when she was just 15 years old.

Schoolkate will play his second round match later this week. Results can be followed here at: https://bit.ly/2L8n9QN