Who is 23-year-old ATP star Tristan Schoolkate? Everything you need to know about the Australian Tennis sensation

There’s a new face in Australian Tennis and he’s quickly making waves. Yes, it’s Tristan Schoolkate. Born in Perth, the 23-year-old has quickly become one of the players to watch at this year’s Australian Open. Making his Grand Slam debut on home soil, he is already through to the second round, where he will face world number 1 Jannik Sinner on January 16. Who is this young tennis star?

Well, Tristan Schoolkate’s love for tennis started very early. He learned to play racquet at the age of four and was coached by his father, a tennis coach at the Claremont Lawn Tennis Club. Growing up in Perth, Schoolkate honed his skills on grass pitches, a surface he still considers his favorite. Initially, the sport was simply about having the opportunity to play. According to his own confession:

“But it was all about fun. I was just playing. I played a bit of football, soccer too, probably until I was 14. C’est Schoolkate. “Tennis was always probably more enjoyable, or I think I was a little more successful. I continued playing and stayed at the normal school, played tennis all the way through and participated in the junior Grand Slam tournaments after finishing school, and then it continued. improve a little.

However, by the time he was a teenager, Schoolkate was already attracting the attention of junior tennis. In 2015, he represented Australia at the World Junior Tennis Finals in Prostejov, Czech Republic. Later that year he reached the final of the Australian 14s Championships at Melbourne Park, a venue where he now competes as a professional.

The young Australian starlet’s junior career continued to flourish. In December 2018, he won the Australian 18 Championships doubles title alongside Dane Sweeny. In 2019, he rose to the top 40 in the ITF junior rankings and reached the third round of the Wimbledon boys’ singles. He continued to train with some of Australia’s best players, often facing two-time Grand Slam champion John Peers when they were both in Perth.

Interesting fact: Growing up, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was Schoolkate’s favorite tennis player.

As a professional, the 23-year-old has shown promise on the courts in both singles and doubles. He currently holds a singles ranking of 237 and a doubles ranking of 144.

His talent earned him the opportunity to be a hitting partner at the Hopman Cup. He has trained with top players like Alexander Zverev and Lucas Pouille.

But it was another workout that left him stunned. Speaking to Tennis.com in March 2024, the Australian tennis star shared her nerves before hitting Novak Djokovic at Rod Laver Arena. “I trained with Novak Djokovic at the Rod Laver Arena a few years ago. For me it was “ok, he’s obviously the best player in the world, I hope I can maintain my level for a practice”, and it was great. This turned out to be one of the best sessions I’ve had. I thought it was fantastic to be alongside the best player in the world, so it was good.

Today, he is preparing for the biggest match of his career on his home field. But where did this Grand Slam journey begin?

Tristan Schoolkate’s Grand Slam journey

Schoolkate made his Grand Slam debut at the 2024 US Open, where he faced Taro Daniel in the first round. In a thrilling five-setter, the 23-year-old came back from two sets down to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-4. However, his run ended in the second round after a dramatic loss to Jakub Mensik. The five-set battle saw Mensik stage an incredible comeback, defeating Schoolkate 6-7(4), 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(5), 7-6(10-3).

This year, Schoolkate returned to the Grand Slam scene, making her debut at the Australian Open. In the first round, he faced Taro Daniel again, beating him 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-4.

When asked previously which players he would like to train with, Schoolkate named two of the sport’s brightest stars. “I think Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz would be fantastic. I think they are young people who demonstrate a very high physical level and their level of tennis is phenomenal. » he said.

And as luck would have it, the Perth native is preparing for his toughest challenge yet: a second-round showdown against Jannik Sinner, the current world number 1. It’s a big moment for Schoolkate, but he remains focused on improving and competing against the best.

Tristan Schoolkate is leaving her mark on the world of tennis. Will he be up to the task against Sinner and will he continue his journey at the Australian Open?