An Irish junior tennis player is heading to Melbourne to compete at the Junior Australian Open.
Eoghan Jennings, from Westport in Co Mayo, is the first Irish junior to compete at the event since 2022.
He will travel to Australia as part of his winter competition programme and will take on one of the strongest junior fields in the world.
His parents, Padraig and Ciara, said his qualification is “a fantastic reward for years of hard work”.
Mary Ward, of Westport Tennis Club, which is a key part of Jennings’ journey, said the club was “immensely proud of him”, adding that he is a credit to his family and his coaches, particularly his first coach Dan Irimia “who spotted Eoghan’s talent at the tender age of five”.
Jennings’ head coach Garret Barry said he hoped other young players will be inspired by his journey, “especially those outside the traditional tennis strongholds”.
National Performance Development Director Cian Blake described Jennings’ qualification as a “remarkable milestone for him and for Irish tennis”.
Jennings will begin his Junior Australian Open campaign next Wednesday.