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Junior Profiles
Graeme Dyce  Born:
24th July 1989, EdinburghLives: Edinburgh and Bradenton, Florida Plays: Right-handed (double-handed backhand ) Favourite surface: Outdoor hard Dyce is currently Britain's best male junior and has enjoyed a successful 2006 on the junior circuit. He started the year strongly on the clay courts of South America [arguably the toughest environment on the tour] reaching 3 quarters and 1 semi in Grade 2 events. Unfortunately, injury kept him out for 4 months but he returned to something like his best in July when he made the final of the Scottish international junior championships. In September he knocked out a string of top 100 players on the way to making his first Grade 1 final in Kentucky, USA and that ensured that he broke the junior top 100 for the first time. Graeme is based at the famous Nick Bollettieri academy in Florida where he trains with the elite squad under the tutelage of David Ayme (former coach of Tommy Haas). He moved to Florida after winning the National U15s title in 2004 when it became clear that he was going to run out of training options in Scotland. In 2007, Graeme aims to mix in the major junior events with more senior tournaments and he hopes to earn his first senior ranking points. Coaches at the Bollettieri academy say that in order to compete successfully on the men's tour, he needs to be stronger in his upper and lower body so he's also going to undergo a lot of fitness work. To find out more about Dyce check out his thread on our messageboard: HERE Career Highlights: 2006 Finished runner-up in G1 tournament in Kentucky and in the Scottish junior international Reached semis in G2 clay tournaments in Bolivia and Holland Won doubles in a G2 tournament in Ecuador 2005 Won St Maarten Junior Open Finished runner up in the ITF Junior Cup, Copenhagen 2004 Won National U15s title Daniel Cox
To find out more about Dan,
check out his thread on our messageboard: HERE Career
Highlights: Marcus Willis
Plays: Left handed. Lives: Bisham Abbey, Great Britain. After creating an impact on the junior circuits this year, this Berkshire teenager will be looking to produce that form on the senior circuit and in top level junior tournaments in 2007. The present British 16 and under doubles champion had a great start to the year as he reached the finals of a Category 1 event in Europe, and collected a singles and a doubles title in Grade 5 events over the following few months. But Willis began to perform well in the more challenging Grade 4 junior tournaments with his trip to Scandinavia in October, where he was in top form on the indoor hard courts, winning his first Grade 4 title and defeating a top 60 player and former European number one Daniel Evans on his way. Another quarter finals at a Grade 4 event and a doubles title elevated his ranking by almost two hundred places to 280. Even though he is without a senior ranking point at present, he has wins against several ranked players and it's probably just a matter of time before he makes his mark in the men’s game. Career Highlights: 2006 Reached the doubles finals of the ETA Category 1 Hauts de France tournament in Marcq-en-Baroeul (with Daniel Evans). Won one ITF G5 title and one ITF G4 title. Won one ITF G5 title and one ITF G4 title in doubles. Won the British Nationals 16 and under doubles title Daniel Evans  Born:
23 May 1990Lives: Birmingham, Great Britain Plays: Right-handed (single-handed backhand) Favourite surface: Clay Age started tennis: Seven This talented right hander confirmed his class when he won the Hauts de France (ETA Category 1) tournament in Marcq-en-Baroeul earlier in 2006. He won 5-2, 40-0 down in the final but produced a stunning fightback to win in straight sets. He also reached the doubles final and this combined achievement made him the no 1 U16 in Europe. Daniel is also the U16 National Champion and was part of the British 3 man squad which won the World Junior Tennis team championships in 2004, Britain’s only team title in the last ten years. Daniel's game is based around aggressive shot-making from the back of the court. His fluent single-handed backhand has impressed many seasoned followers of British tennis. He dominated the junior circuits in 2006, reaching two Grade 4 finals and winning two Grade 5 tournaments. He was rewarded with a wildcard into the Shrewsbury challenger at the end of the year which enabled him to gain his first senior ranking point. Like Willis, he is currently without a main draw win in senior tournaments but he's come close on several occasions, giving Lee Childs two very close matches and taking a set off James Auckland. He is presently training in Nottingham at Martin Weston's academy and Mark Hilton is his full-time coach. Career Highlights: 2006 Won the ETA Category 1 Hauts de France tournament in Marcq-en-Baroeul and reached the finals in doubles (with Marcus Willis). Became number 1 in Europe in 16 in and under age group. Reached the doubles final of a 15K futures in Nottingham (with Mark Hilton). Won the National U16s title. Won two ITF Grade 5 singles titles. 2005 Won the ETA Category 2 Circolo Tennis tournament in Foligno. Reached the final of the National U18s championships 2004 Part of winning world junior tennis team in Prostejov along with Daniel Cox and Lewis Barnes. |
Born:
29 September
1990