A BURGEONING young tennis player has travelled the length of the country to team up with a Huddersfield coach.

Joel Jones, 12, is an aspiring young tennis professional from Cornwall, and his talent was spotted at last year’s Sellers International Huddersfield Open at Huddersfield Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, by head coach Tomas David.

It was Joel’s first appearance at the junior showpiece event in July with his aim to play with some of the top juniors in Yorkshire.

While Joel was playing in the tournament coach David watched him win on a tie break from 5-2 down, saw his potential and offered to work with him.

Although Joel was eager to work with the coach the distance from Cornwall to Huddersfield was just too far to travel regularly and he remained coach-less for six months before he decided to move to West Yorkshire to be coached by David.

Joel has been working with him for five months now and since then he has won his first winter county grade-four tennis event in Leicester. Tomas and Joel’s target is to get into the top 20 of the National Under 14 boys ranking by September 2009.

Expectations are high are Joel who first picked up a tennis racquet aged eight and, within two years of coaching, it was clear he had the potential to become a competitive tennis player at a much higher level.

Joel ended his Under 12 boys tennis in the top 70 in the UK and as No1 in Cornwall.

He is the current County U12 boys champion and has also won several other awards including the Sellers International Junior Open.