Internationally acclaimed coach Ian Barclay, best known for guiding Pat Cash to his 1987 Wimbleon singles title, has a select group of youngsters going into the Ballarat Open Platinum AMT and Gold Under-18 Tournament.
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Barclay had the quartet on court at Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre on Monday acclimatising themselves.
Barclay said tournaments of this ilk were important in setting new challenges for up-and-coming youngsters.
He said some could become comfortable when they enjoyed success.
Barclay, who has just turned 80, said these events opened the eyes of young talent, giving them a better perspective as to how tough the tennis world was and reinforced the need to push themselves to go the next level.
Barclay is overseeing Jessie Burbridge, 18, Shyan Sivaratnam, 16, Wihan van der Merwe, 16, and Dylan de Silva, 16. Burbridge will contest the open event, while the three boys move up to the under-18s.
Van der Werne is the only one to have previously played in Ballarat.
Barclay said he was enjoying coaching juniors as much as ever, with Australia always on the look-out for the next big star.
He said this was not getting any easier with other mainstream sports such as AFL and now AFLW attracting the best young athletes.
