Watching Elena Rybakina prepare for the 2017 ITF Junior Finals lit a fuse within Oksana Selekhmeteva, one which has burned brightly ever since and is set to ignite once this year’s Chengdu showdown starts in earnest.

Russia have a rich history at the tournament, with Andrey Rublev winning the inaugural edition of the boys’ tournament in 2015 and Anna Blinkova triumphing in the girls’ competition a year later.

Rublev and Blinkova are noteworthy sources of inspiration. The former currently occupies the No. 31 spot in the world rankings, while the latter, among other highlights, overcame Caroline Garcia to reach the third round at Roland Garros in May.

But whatever the history of her nation, Selekhmeteva has eyes on ploughing her own furrow and realising her ambition after witnessing Rybakina’s pre-Chengdu training offers the left-hander an enormous sense of pride.

“I know Elena very well and I saw her preparation before the ITF Junior Finals when we were practicing with the same coach in Moscow. I hoped that I would maybe get the chance to compete in Chengdu,” said Selekhmeteva.

“I am so happy that I have an opportunity to play at this tournament. It’s really important for me and I just have to try my best. It would be incredibly satisfying to follow in the footsteps of Rublev and Blinkova and win there.

“That said, while it would be so satisfying, I look at my own work and my own footsteps only.”

Selekmeteva has enjoyed an extremely productive few months, having reached the semi-finals of the singles at the US Open Junior Tennis Championships, where she lost to eventual champion Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, and won the doubles there.

Before slipping to defeat against the Colombian, the 16-year-old underlined her potential by dispatching Roland Garros finalist Emma Navarro, fellow Chengdu qualifier Elsa Jacquemot and Katrina Scott, a Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas champion with USA in September.

Her doubles success at Flushing Meadows came alongside Kamilla Bartone, who will also feature at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre when the ITF Junior Finals get underway on 23 October. Her and Bartone also reached the doubles finale at The Junior Championships at Wimbledon.

“My season has been good on the whole,” said Selekhmeteva. “It could always be better but I’m working hard and improving. Sometimes I want to have results too quickly, but I understand it’s a long process.

“The US Open was a very good week for me and an amazing experience. Reaching the semi-finals in singles and being crowned doubles champion was satisfying.

“It is so important to learn from every experience and to learn from your mistakes. Everyone can miss a shot or lose a match. You have to accept that and continue to do what you have to do.”

Selekhmeteva is set to be one of the lowest-ranked players in the girls’ draw at the ITF Junior Finals but, as history suggests, there is plenty of scope for an upset on the hard courts of the Far East.

Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori and American Brandon Nakashima were by no means the favourites to lift silverware during the last two editions of the event but were duly crowned boys’ champions in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

“Those two are really good players and I’m sure they will have very good tennis careers. Their example shows that anything is possible, you just have to fight for it,” added Selehmeteva, who, together with Bartone, was afforded the opportunity to meet the Duchess of Cambridge prior to their semi-final doubles clash against Russia’s Polina Kudermetova and Giulia Morlet of France at Wimbledon.

“Winning a trophy would be the best way to finish the season, although win or lose I will have to continue working hard every day and keep my focus. That said, a trophy would give me huge motivation for the future.”