Zander, Finn, Coach Henrotin, Mitchell, Ben and Zoe en route to Belgium. Photo: Bastien Henrotin.
Halfway across the globe, six regional WA tennis players competed in a three-week tournament guided by Esperance tennis club coach Bastien Henrotin.
Zoe Milne, Zander Wilkie, Finn Preston, Tye Dark, Ben Haclin and Mitchell … competed in six tournaments in different locations across Belgium’s southeast from June 25 to July 20.
Coach Henrotin said the amateur fixtures were played on clay courts, which some of his players found challenging, but he said two players performed particularly well.
“Ben Haclin was winning the men’s division 3 and the last week of the tournament I changed him to men’s 2 because he’s too strong for men’s 3,” he said.
“Zander Wilkie, 12 years-old, he won 24 out of 25 matches in total.”
Henrotin said they improved their skills but most importantly everyone loved their trip.
“Zoe was the youngest and the only girl that came and her mum sent me a message saying she didn’t want to come back to Australia,” Coach Henrotin said.
“It’s fun – obviously I want them to get better but my main goal was to get them to make friends with Belgian kids and try to find a way to communicate.
“They improved in just living an experience like that, it’s not just about tennis but it gives them confidence and another idea of a different life.”
It was the second consecutive year Henrotin coached young Australian players in his home country and he said he planned to make it an annual trip.
“It was better organised [this year] and I was less stressed because everything was in place and Belgium was ‘sick’,” he said.
Henrotin said next year he hoped he could play too.
“Last year I didn’t play much and I came back and I lost a few matches so my level dropped,” he said.
“This year I played really well and I won a couple of tournaments, so my level has risen and next year I will be able to play in Men’s 1.”
Henrotin said the players had an authentic Belgian experience by staying at his parents’ large home where they were treated to his mum’s cooking.
When they weren’t playing tennis Henrotin said they visited different towns and kayaked on the river.
Coach Henrotin said he planned to take interested players for another European summer competition next year.
