Bermuda’s budding tennis players will get a rare chance to showcase their skills in front of their own fans at next week’s Bermuda ITF Junior Open at WER Joell Tennis Stadium.

Representing the island at the event, open to boys and girls players 18 and under, are Shelby Madeiros, Jahzuena Bradshaw-Douglas, Emma Astwood, Scott Redmond and Trey Mallory, who will be gunning for the ITF junior ranking points at stake.

Michael Wolfe, the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president, said the island’s players are up for the challenge of measuring up against some of the world’s best at this level.

“They are excited and looking for a good showing,” Wolfe said. “This is their home tournament and it’s time for them to showcase what they have been doing and how they have been training over the last few years.

“This is a great opportunity and we have urged the players to make the most of it and leave everything on the court.

“The local kids have been training hard and have put in a lot of extra time on the court. We are pleased with the progress they have been making.”

Mallory and Redmond, the Bermuda Junior Davis Cup duo, are the most senior members on the island’s five-member squad.

Mallory, who trains at the L’Academie de Tennis in Florida, is Bermuda’s highest-ranked player and only member of the team with ITF junior ranking points.

He became Bermuda’s youngest player to acquire ITF junior ranking points after winning the singles title at last year’s Curacao Open.

Bermuda are among the 13 nations competing at next week’s ITF junior event which includes Canada, El Salvador, Britain, the Netherlands, India, Mexico, Russia, St Lucia, Suriname, Thailand, USA and US Virgin Islands.

“We are still getting some entries into the girls’ field so both of the draws will be pretty much full,” Wolfe said. “We are looking for a great tournament with lots of competitive tennis.”

Wolfe is also looking forward to watching Bermuda’s youngsters showcase their skills in a 12-and-under tournament to be held at WER Joell Tennis Stadium on Sunday.

“Some of the players who represented Bermuda earlier this year are also taking part in that division so that should be quite competitive as well,” he said.

“For them it’s an opportunity to see some of the more advanced players play and give them some inspiration and goals to reach in the future.”

The Bermuda ITF Junior Open runs from Monday until next Saturday.