Known as the Parkes Services Club Junior Open across Australia, the 2015 Silver Category tournament is one of only two west of Sydney and will commence tomorrow to run through until Monday. 

It has attracted over 300 entries from across eastern Australia. 

Parkes Woolworths, Coles and Aldi stores are also to be congratulated for supporting junior tennis and helping with food supplies for the tournament. 

The fabulous husband and wife duo of George and Lesley Sideris who run A Taste of Greece at local events around the region, have graciously donated their time to cater with an outside food tent serving breakfast with bacon and eggs rolls, as well as sausage sandwiches, cappuccinos and lovely homemade sweets across the whole weekend. 

This will compliment the tennis club canteen who is best known for their freshly made scones to regular city folk visiting for the three days. 

Hedley Nicholson has been toiling away for the past couple of months, making sure the complex once again meets the visitors expectations as one of the best centres across NSW. 

Parkes Tennis wish to thank Parkes Shire Council for providing extra garbage bins as their contribution to the event which will bring in more than 300 people to Parkes arriving today and departing Monday. 

Parkes Public School is the current Tennis Australia Most Outstanding School and they are also making a large contribution to the tournament by hosting a group at their school for the weekend. 

The Club thanks Mrs Dolbel and Mrs Breaden for making this possible and supporting the event.

 This year for the first time, The McDonald College, Voyager Tennis Academy along with Meriden Girls School and Victoria’s Margaret Court Tennis Academy are bringing large squads to this years event.

They all have very successful tennis programs and this is a wonderful opportunity for country players and spectators to see some of the aspiring young guns of Australian Tennis.

It was just a few years back when big serving Sam Groth and the irreverent Nick Kyrgios were regulars to the Parkes tournament. 

They have gone on to make careers out of the sport.

A couple of players to watch include Singapore’s 13 year old Ethan Lye who is on Singapore Sports Institute scholarship at McDonald College and coached by Roger Federer’s former hitting partner Aussie Luke Bourgious at the Voyager Academy based at Homebush in Sydney. 

Lye, who has only been in Australia for a year next month, has been making huge progress in his ambition to be competitive on the senior World ATP tour within 10 years. 

He has blown away all opposition before him. 

He will compete in the 16s this weekend and will be on court for his first and only match tomorrow at 12.45pm.

Annerley Poulos from Canberra is the current National 12 and Under champion.

Annerley has been a regular at Parkes for four years now. 

Her hard work ethic has seen her steadily improve her game as she grows and continues to compete against girls much older. 

Tomorrow Annerley will take to the court at approximately 3pm and is definitely worth a watch as she displays a professional attitude so young.

On the local front, Parkes has two boys and five girls competing. 

James Ward will take on Sydney’s Connor Wood at 12.45pm in the 16s division and, if successful, will play fourth seed Brock Dixon at 3.15pm.     

Jake Magill just missed a seed in what is a cracker 14 and under field. 

Jake will play Canberra young gun Damon Ilitch at 9am and then should take on Sydney’s Eric Tripathi who is seeded 6th at 2pm.

Georgia Sideris, Holly McColl, Abbey Kennedy, Marites Woods and Makayla Strudwick are all playing in the 12 and under event against players from Sydney, Albury and Victoria. 

Georgia, Holly, Abbey and Makayla start at 8am and, if they win, play their next match between 10.15-11.30am for the second round. 

Marites Woods was happy to hear she could have a sleep in and play her first round match against another Sydney player at 10.15am.

Locals will also be interested in former Parkes player Molly Thomson, granddaughter of Graham and Lil Thomson and Lois Godden, who will compete this weekend as part of the Meriden Junior School team. 

Molly will play Lithgow’s Emerson Banning at 11.30am. 

Unfortunately Emily Thomson has moved on from junior tour events and is now eyeing off the World ITF 18 and under events across Australasia. 

She is working hard to gain enough points to possibly make qualifying for the Australian Open Juniors in the next couple of years. 

Players will arrive today with practice sessions starting from 1pm. 

As soon as the sun rises tomorrow, players will hit the courts to warm up with first round matches to commence at 8am. 

With over 160 matches scheduled through until 7.30pm tomorrow night, which equates to more than 10 three set matches per court, and Sunday seeing a similar amount of matches, it is going to be a very busy two days in the tournament box for Director Helen Magill and assistant Elise Kiley.

Elsie has the unenviable task of keeping all the scoreboards updated for parents, players and spectators to peruse as matches are completed. 

All things going to schedule, only semis and finals should be left to play from 9am on Monday.