Mandurah tennis prodigy to shine on national stage

The Mandurah Tennis Club youngster was selected to the Australian under 14s side and will tackle some of the country’s best in the nation’s capital.

Shepherd and his family relocated to Mandurah from the UK, where he was the number one in Essex, almost two years ago.

Since then he has carved out a reputation for himself on the WA charts currently ranking second in the state, and is now looking to make a charge at the national level.

Shepherd said he was “full of nerves” before flying out to test his skills in Canberra.

“It’s pretty exciting but at the same time you kind of worry about how you’re going to perform while you’re over there,” he said.

“I’ve just got to go in with a clean mind and make sure I play the way I like to play.”

Shepherd began playing tennis after he was introduced to the game by a family friend. He quickly became a die-hard fan and discovered he was a natural on the court.

He has since won tournaments in Sorrento, Esperance, Brixton Street and at the Country Week Championships.

In July he finished as runner-up of the open state competition.

Shepherd found out about his selection to the Canberra tournament through email, describing the moment as one of his proudest achievements.

“It’s been a goal of mine for some time so to reach it is really rewarding. It was a really proud moment,” he said.

The young prodigy heaped praise on his coaches and mentors at both the state squads and in Mandurah.

“It’s a great club to be at, here in Mandurah. There’s always someone available to lend you a hand and teach you something,” he said.

“Rhys McDougall is my coach at state squads and he’s been huge for my tennis.

“The game is 80 per cent mental – I think that’s what I enjoy about it the most,” he said.