SINGAPORE — Bill Chan had big dreams from an early age. Earlier this month, he fulfilled one of his ambitions by competing in the Australian Open Junior Tennis Championships, becoming the first Singaporean to compete in a Junior Grand Slam.
“I’m always so grateful to be able to do something small for tennis in Singapore,” the 17-year-old said. Yahoo Southeast Asia He had been in Singapore for a week after the championships. “It’s an honor to represent your country.”
He defeated Australia’s Lachlan McFadzean 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the first men’s singles qualifier, but in the next round he defeated Romania’s Radu David Turcanu 2-6, 6-7. They lost (9-11).
Peru’s Chan Nakamine and Luis Jose Nakamine lost in the first round of the men’s doubles tournament to Keiran Bigan and Jaguar Leach (USA) 6-2, 3-6, 8-10. The close finish between the two matches was a learning point for the Singaporean teenager, who left Anglo-Chinese School (an independent school) on the first day of school in 2023 to pursue tennis full-time.
“It was very stressful,” he said of playing Turkanu for a chance to advance to the quarter-finals and qualify for the best-64 main draw. “This was probably the biggest match I’ve ever played and one of the most important matches. My first (junior) Grand Slam, I couldn’t handle it. It’s a work in progress. ”
Building a stronger foundation in Belgium
Tennis is a problem-solving sport, and Chan has been finding solutions since he was seven years old. Before hitting a growth spurt in the third year of middle school, the now 6-foot-1 player was often the smallest kid on the court. But he managed to hold his own against towering opponents by standing close to the baseline and stealing the ball early.
“I’ve always loved competing,” he said. “I love playing matches, I love meeting new people, and most of all I love winning. Even if I’m really short, winning some matches makes me I was able to move forward. Maybe if I had been a little taller when I was growing up, my game would have been different and I wouldn’t be where I am now. I wouldn’t have learned how to fight this much. Dew.
“Compared to many European players I play with, I am still small, but that doesn’t matter too much to me because I still believe that we can win. If we train a lot and work hard, no matter who the opponent is, I think I always have some kind of confidence in myself that I can beat them.”
Chan’s game has evolved over the years, especially since he was based in Hasselt, Belgium, where he honed his skills on clay courts while learning online. He played on hard courts before transferring in April 2023.
On clay courts, he has to cover a larger area of the court, so he has to stand further back and play a heavier game that requires more strength and speed. That means his fitness is key. Chan’s average week in Belgium includes three hours of on-court training with tennis coach Philippe Gerrard and three hours of physical training with fitness coach Jonas Warrens from Monday to Friday. He sometimes works with mental coach Peter Michels.
Chan was able to rise from a low of 577th place in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Rankings in July 2023 to a high of 62nd place at the beginning of the year, thanks to his training on clay courts and the support of his parents. , and his Christian faith.
“Playing on clay is a completely different game,” he said. “It’s much more physical, the rallies are much longer. But it helps you learn a lot of things, like playing further back and hitting with more topspin. On hard courts. It’s OK to slow down your footwork a little bit and hit the ball a little flatter, but that doesn’t happen on clay.”
Enjoy the challenge the junior circuit brings
He knows his competitors are also learning and growing. In Australia, he observed some competitors working as hard as he did, some even harder. It was a reminder that nothing is easy on the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior (18 and Under).
The Junior Grand Slam is the biggest event on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors. His six grades below the top level consist of J500, J300, J200, J100, J60, and J30 events.
In April 2023, they suffered three consecutive losses in their opening matches in Turkey: J100 Istanbul, J30 Istanbul, and J100 Izmir. Although doubts surfaced, his father Edmund Chan, 51, and mother Hui Yoke Leng, 50, helped him realize that full-time tennis was still the way for him. gave.
“I didn’t want to take the easy route and quit this journey just because I lost a little bit,” he said.
Chan also enjoys the challenge the circuit brings. “Everyone you play against is a very good opponent. It’s not an easy match. You have to work on everything,” he said. “You don’t want to win a tournament where everyone playing is way below your standards. You want to feel like you competed and came out victorious.”
When he won the J100 Sarawak state title in September 2023, it became the highlight of his tennis career. The Australian Open Junior Championship didn’t change that either.
“That was a big moment for me. It felt like I was one step closer,” he said of the Junior Slam tournament won by American Andy Roddick, who later became a major champion and world No. 1. . But I was even happier when I won the title for the first time. ”
Results at youth level often show potential, even though a lot can happen during the transition from junior to senior level. Chan doesn’t read too much into past junior rankings of established players, just enough to gain confidence.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, a two-time Grand Slam champion, achieved a career-high junior ranking of 22nd in the world. Italian Jannik Sinner, a new Australian Open champion, peaked at 133rd place as a junior. China’s Zhang Zhizhen, the top Asian player on the ATP Tour, achieved a career-high junior ranking of 166th.
“It’s inspirational to see so many good players in my area ranked,” Chan said.
Looking for sponsors to help cover costs
The youngster admitted that financial support plays a big role in participating in more tournaments and moving up the rankings. Equipment, coaching, lodging and travel expenses can quickly reach a six-figure sum, and Chan is looking for sponsors to help cover the costs that her parents will cover.
Chan’s parents not only supported him financially and emotionally, but also instilled in him a no-excuses mentality.
“Just because he’s 1.8 meters tall doesn’t mean he’s not at a disadvantage, but we don’t take that into account anymore,” Edmund said. “It’s just finding excuses for yourself. If this is what you want to do, stop doing it and do something else to get better.”
Chan is clear about what he wants to achieve. He plays NCAA Division 1 tennis, Roland Garros, All England Loan Tennis Club, Flushing, and he hopes to play a match at The Meadows.
“There are three more (junior) Slams left (this year),” he said of the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open junior championships. “The goal is to play in those games and hopefully do better than this one.”
If he can do that, he is likely to stand tall and tall.
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