Every journey may well begin with a first step, but it is the next stride which is always the most significant in the development of a player with lofty ambitions.

For New Zealand pair Corban Crowther, 18, and Vivian Yang, 16, that important moment arrived recently after a travel bubble from their homeland to Australia opened and allowed them to compete at J3 Mornington.

In fact, it was two events in the suburbs of Melbourne in the space of a fortnight and during that time the duo contested five finals between them and walked away with three doubles titles.

It was the first time that Yang, who claimed back-to-back doubles titles across the two tournaments alongside partner Taylah Preston of Australia, had triumphed at that level of competition.

Crowther had tasted success at a J3 previously – in the doubles at Auckland last year – but topping the podium with partner Eric Padgham of Australia represented a first success of the season.

It could have been even better for both, with Yang reaching the final of the girls’ singles in week one, only to lose to home favourite Catherine Aulia. Crowther, meanwhile, suffered defeat in the boys’ singles final during the second week as Edward Winter prevailed.

Crowther and Yang were among 15 players to receive support from the ITF’s junior player grants programme in 2021, an initiative which enables potential future stars to be handed up to $25,000 per season to assist with their costs. For Crowther, this followed a grant of $6,250 in 2019 and $12,500 in 2020, while Yang also received $12,500 in 2020.

The ITF junior player grant programme, which came into existence in 2018, aims to help players who have shown exceptional potential make the transition from the junior game to the professional ranks.

Such financial assistance – Crowther and Yang, who both made their debuts on the ITF World Tennis Tour during 2020, received a further $12,500 apiece this year – has undoubtedly proven extremely beneficial in the fledgling careers of the New Zealanders.

“I am so grateful for the support I have received as an ITF International Junior Player Grant recipient,” said Crowther, who at No. 90 in the standings is the highest-ranked boy in New Zealand.

“The support has helped with essential international travel and it has given me a feeling of self-belief. All of the support I receive enables me to follow my dreams.”

Like Crowther, Yang, who is two years his junior, is the top-ranked competitor from New Zealand and sits at No. 216 in the girls’ rankings. She too is extremely grateful for the ITF’s backing.

“The ITF International Junior Player Grant has allowed me to travel overseas and compete against the best juniors in the world, which is not an opportunity that everyone in New Zealand gets,” she said. “I feel extremely honoured and privileged to receive this support.”

Gary Purcell is the ITF Development Officer for Pacific Oceania and, incidentally, based in Melbourne where Crowther and Yang continued their competitive development with such assurance.

Purcell was thrilled to see them make the most of the opportunity which presented itself, while he was also keen to underline the value of the ITF junior player grants programme to aspiring players in his region and beyond.  

“I was delighted to see both Corban and Vivian take advantage of the travel bubble which opened up just in time to allow them to travel to Australia for some much-needed competition,” said Purcell. “This shows exactly how beneficial the ITF International Junior Player Grants can be for these talented players.

“The Performance Team at Tennis New Zealand have done an amazing job in keeping player motivation high during this challenging time. Corban and Vivian’s recent performances show that the hard work put in by all involved is certainly paying off.

“I look forward to seeing Corban, Vivian and other Pacific Oceania players competing and doing well over here in Australia and further afield as travel paths continue to open up in this part of the world.”

Further information about the 2021 recipients of the ITF International Junior Player Grants, including an interview with Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, can be read here.

ITF Development Officer Gary Purcell featured in the winter 2020 edition of ITFWorld, where he guided readers around Pacific Oceania and provided a snapshot of the development picture across the region. This article can be read here.