Bury St Edmunds’ Scott Watson of Culford School playing his dream out at Junior Wimbledon after earning LTA Tennis Academy place
Having recently secured a prestigious place at the LTA Tennis Academy, Scott Watson is hoping to underline his potential when he realises a dream by playing at Wimbledon.
The 14-year-old from Bury St Edmunds, who has risen to number three in Europe for his under-14 age group, is set to play the first of three guaranteed matches in the Boys’ 14 & Under Singles at the All England Club today (approx 2pm) ahead of two more following tomorrow.
If the Culford School pupil, whose classmates are joining the early morning queues to see him in action, is able to win his group of four he would then be through to the weekend’s semi-finals.
Watson said: "I’m thrilled and very excited to be playing there, with the standard being incredibly high, as the top under-14 players from all over the world will be there.”
He will have the support of his Culford coach Chris Johnson, who Watson credits with the plaudits for his progress over the last couple of years.
“I don’t think there is many tennis players actually from Bury St Edmunds who have played at Wimbledon so it’s nice for the area,” he said.
Watson has won national and European tournaments as well as representing Great Britain, but he agrees this is the biggest event so far in his tennis career.
“To qualify to play at Wimbledon, and compete against the best in the world at under-14 level is a real challenge,” he said.
Watson goes into the tournament in good form, having just got back from Valencia in Spain where he helped the GB team to reach the final of the U14 European Summer Cup before losing out to the hosts.
LTA team manager Richard Plews said: “They did really well getting to the final as the GB boys team have not been in a final (u14s) in over 40 years, so Scott and his team-mates did exceptionally well.’
“Scott played really well there in some extremely hot conditions, winning some very competitive matches.”
It came off the back of an individual tournament win in a European Grade 1 event in Romania, and lifting the National Indoor cup also at an event in Sutton in March.
LTA talent scouts have been watching him over the last 18 months, leading to the life-changing news of an offer of a full-time place at their national LTA academy at Loughborough University from September.
“It is a huge achievement, he has worked incredibly hard to be offered the chance,” said his coach Chris Johnson.
Although Watson is somewhat reluctant to leave Culford, as he has been very happy there, he knows leaving to chase the goal of succeeding in a highly competitive sport is the sacrifice he needs to make.
With his parents not from a tennis background, Watson was inspired to begin honing his skills with a racket aged six after watching his older brother Luke’s lessons at Culford School. Luke was also an accomplished player, who presently is entering the last year of his tennis scholarship at the University of Redland in California.
Watson said he is thankful, and grateful to his Culford coaches Ashton Pepper, Danny Wyatt and Anthony Orton in those early formative years, as well as more recently, Mat Lowe, for all their patience and help.
