Daniel aims to bounce back

Daniel Smethurst

LOCAL tennis player Daniel Smethurst’s spectacular rise up the junior world rankings has been temporarily double faulted by a breach of discipline.

But the 17-year-old from Failsworth (pictured) will be hoping to bounce right back for what is a crucial stage of his career - the switch to open-age competition.

Smethurst is serving a two-month ban from the Lawn Tennis Association for “unprofessional conduct” after being spotted out in the early hours on the day he was playing a boys’ doubles match at Wimbledon.

The suspension means Smethurst is not allowed into the National Tennis Centre or any other High Performance Centre to train and he will receive no coaching.

There is no funding for national and overseas events, no wild cards into Futures tournaments and no endorsements for foreign trips.

It is a big blow as Smethurst had been selected for the individual and team events at the European Championships and to compete in the Canadian and US Opens.

There is nothing to stop Smethurst playing in tournaments in the next two months, but he would do so at his own expense.

His doubles partner Daniel Evans, who had been in previous trouble, has received a four-month ban from the LTA.

Smethurst is hoping the setback is only a blip on an otherwise fine record.

He enhanced his already growing reputation at Wimbledon where he played in two junior Grand Slam events.

Smethurst reached the last 16 of both the boys singles and doubles, the latter with playing partner Evans.

And Smethurst, who is ranked 38 in the junior world rankings, and No 2 in Great Britain, maintained the impressive form he has shown this year.

Earlier he qualified for the French Open at Roland Garros where he pushed number two seed Cesar Ramirez all the way in the second round.

“Daniel had one match point before losing 7-5 in the third and deciding set. He put up a great show against a clay-court specialist,” explained father Nigel.

Smethurst and Evans, quarter-finalists in the boys’ doubles at Wimbledon 12 months ago, also made the last eight in Paris.

In the ITF Grade One Tournament at Roehampton, the warm-up event to Wimbledon, former Lyndhurst Primary and Failsworth Sports College pupil Smethurst was the beaten finalist.

He defeated opponents from many corners of the globe - Italy, Thailand, Australia and Finland - before losing in the final to Frenchman Guillaume Rufin.

“Most of the players who were at Wimbledon were competing at Roehampton so to reach the final was great confidence-wise for Daniel. Had he won he would have climbed into the world’s top 25 juniors,” added Nigel.

Wimbledon saw Smethurst lose in the last 16 of the boys singles to Amercan Bradley Klahn, the 16th seed. In the doubles he and Evans bowed out to Aussie pair Matt Reid and Bernard Tomic, the third seeds.

Smethurst, who last year had a two-hour practice session with Roger Federer at Wimbledon, will soon be heading to Flushing Meadow for the US Open, his third Junior Grand Slam event of the year and last before his junior career ends.

The next challenge then begins as Smethurst, who is based at the Lawn Tennis Association’s new National Performance Centre at Roehampton, must try to establish himself in the senior rankings.

Though Smethurst receives funding from the LTA, father Nigel says his son is looking for further sponsorship as the backing he receives does not cover all his costs.