TOP YEAR: A delighted Zoe Hives who was last night named the Ballarat Sportsgirl of Year after stepping up to represent Australia last year. PICTURE: LACHLAN BENCE
ZOE Hives is the Ballarat Sportsgirl of the Year for the second year in a row.
The teenage tennis star stepped up internationally in 2012 – representing Australia in the Junior Fed Cup world finals in Spain in September.
The tournament was undoubtedly the highlight of her year, which was packed full of special moments.
Hives, 17, was the stand-out player in the Australian team in Spain.
She won four of her five matches to lead Australia to fourth position.
The Kingston youngster also had a key role in her Junior Fed Cup debut in the Oceania qualifiers in Bendigo, which paved the way for Australia to take on the best 16 and under female players in the world.
All this came after she made her first appearance in a major - the 2012 Australian Open Junior Championships, in which she one of only eight Australian girls.
It was a year of firsts for her, with each achievement significant in a promising career.
Among others in this category was her maiden ITF junior singles title in the Queensland Junior Claycourt International in Bundaberg.
Earlier in the year she had captured her first ITF junior doubles title in New Zealand.
She won a Gold AMT singles title Platinum AMT doubles title.
Hives wrapped up her year as a finalist in the national 16 year championships and was a quarter finalist in the national 18 year championships – finishing 2012 as the 48th women in Australia.
Hives took a break after playing in this year’s Australian Open Juniors and is only just beginning to get back into full training.
She said needed a break physically and mentally after such a hectic schedule last year, and had taken time to focus on school.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au
