Take a punt on hot prospect Oliver, 7 (From Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News)

Take a punt on hot prospect Oliver, 7

4:41pm Thursday 4th February 2010

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THE conveyor belt of talent at the Nathan Edwards Tennis Academy in Burnham has produced another highly-rated prospect.

Hot on the heels of promising Brent Knoll youngster Johnnie Bougourd, featured in the Weekly News, is seven-year-old Oliver Punt.

Talented Oliver played his first matchplay at an event in Devon on January 31 and made it all the way through to the semi-finals, finishing third overall and winning five of his seven matches.

Oliver’s parents Neil and Maria said they were immensely proud of him and praised the work of the academy, and one-to-one coaching from Greg Kyd.

They said: “The training Oliver has received has developed and improved his all round game enormously.

“It is an opportunity we could not have found elsewhere and we hope the academy can continue to find support and funds to continue.

“Our other son Thomas is only five years old but has also been accepted into the academy and is showing fantastic progress.”

Tennis academy founder Sally Edwards said: “This was a great result for a seven-year-old in his first tournament having to deal with a competitive environment.”

She added: “We are all very excited about our red ball group which presently consists of five boys who all show outstanding potential.

“When it comes to competing we are very aware not just of their tennis ability but of each child's emotional and mental maturity so that they are not pushed to compete before they are ready to deal with a highly competitive environment.

“Oliver's brother Thomas is also very talented and does well to train in a group where he is up to two years younger than anyone else.”

Oliver will now compete at a matchplay event at the David Lloyd Centre in Long Ashton alongside team-mate Johnnie Bougourd.

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