ST JOSEPH’S School pupil and rising tennis star, Will Heard, has had an amazing Christmas taking full advantage of the three-week break from school.

The 13-year-old competed all over the South West at the Tennis Solutions Christmas Tournament at David Lloyd in Bristol, the South Devon Winter Tournament at Ivybridge Tennis Centre, the Compete G3 Christmas Tournament at Bath University, the Tarka Winter Tournament in Barnstaple and the Exeter Christmas Event at Exeter University.

With all events full to capacity, competition was hot with boys from all over South, Wales and the Midlands travelling to these regional events. As well as four finalist runners-up places, Will achieved two wins.

He travelled up and down to Bristol for six consecutive days, even competing on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, winning not only the 14 and under class where he was seeded number four but also the 16 and under class where he was a rank outsider and unseeded.

Determination and sheer grit combined with the culmination of months of physical and tennis specific training in all weathers with his personal strength and conditioning coach, Rodrigo Peres, who is based in Launceston and his tennis coach, Dan Stuk, who is based in Plymouth, enabled Will to defy the odds and beat older boys with rankings far above himself.

Will, at just 13 years old and in his first season of 14 years and under, sits at 81st place in Great Britain in this age category and is very close to breaking into the top 1,000 open men’s tennis players in Great Britain.

Will is also enjoying the opportunity to work alongside Launceston tennis club coach James Brobin, with the youngest mini players at Launceston, on a Friday evening.