Meet Koharu Nishikawa, the 14-year-old from Melbourne who is one of Australia’s most promising junior talents.
Melbourne, Australia, 10 November 2023 | Rhys de Deugd
Koharu Nishikawa is a young Aussie on the rise.
The 14-year-old from Melbourne aspires to one day be just like her hero Ash Barty, and has made a name for herself in tournaments around the world in 2023.
Currently playing for Australia at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup finals in Spain, she also represented her country earlier this year as part of the Australian 14-and-under girls’ team that finished sixth at the 2023 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in the Czech Republic.
In our series profiling Australia’s most promising junior players, Nishikawa reflects on her favourite tennis experiences so far…
Tell us about your start in tennis?
I started playing tennis when I was four or five years old, and I started playing because my brothers played and yeah, really enjoy it.
What do you enjoy most about tennis?
I love competing and I love competing on a daily basis, and that feeling of chasing something and trying to win.
Do you still play with your brothers?
Yeah, I can actually beat them now. So that’s an improvement. One of my brothers, he actually laid down on the chair and we thought he was half-crying. Proudest moment of my life.
What have been your tennis highlights?
I’ve been fortunate to travel a lot this year and representing Australia in the Czech finals in World Juniors. That was probably the highlight for me.
What did you learn from your time in Europe?
A few specific things on and off the court, especially off the court. Meeting new people and different cultures and learning about different countries and being exposed to them is something I learned a lot from.
Koharu Nishikawa at the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup Juniors Finals in Cordoba, Spain (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos//Quality Sport Images/ITF)
What are your long-term goals in tennis?
I would love to play Grand Slams and be on the tour. Hopefully win the Australian Open because I’m from Melbourne, that’ll be awesome.
What is your biggest inspiration?
I’m inspired by Ash Barty. She’s retired, but she was my role model. I love her variety on court, but also the way she handles everything off the court. My coaches, my parents and my family also inspire me to work harder.
Do you model your game style like anyone in particular?
Yeah, speaking of Ash, I have really modelled my game…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Tennis.com.au – Tennis Australia…