Edinburgh has a new national tennis champion in 13-year-old Chenming (David) Dong who has won the Play Your Way to Wimbledon under-14 competition on the hallowed turf of London SW19.
Not only that but Chenming, a student at the Merchiston Castle Tennis Academy, powered through in emphatic style dropping only one set in seven matches. In the final he beat Strathgryffe’s Lucas Nolte in straight sets having seen off GB junior rep Zachary Verret in the semis.
Honourable mentions also go to the capital’s Hanna Augustynska who reached the quarter finals of the girls singles while Luke Turnbull, pictured, from East Lothian, was runner-up in the Learning Difficulties category..
Players had to qualify through a series of tournaments and in Chenming’s case the highlight was winning a Tennis Europe singles at Craiglockhart during July.
Chenming took up tennis in his native Beijing as a six-year-old but along with his family moved to Edinburgh in August 2020 to take advantage of facilities at Merchiston Castle’s international school.
At local club level Chenming, pictured with his trophy at Wimbledon, turns out in under-18 junior matches for Paties Road-based Thistle LTC.
Coached by Callum Lloyd this hot prospect is currently resting an injury sustained on his way to Wimbledon glory but according to mum Xia he looks forward to contesting ITF junior events later this year.
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