Nelson youngster wins Hot Shots trip to Grand Slam

A young tennis player from Nelson will get the Australian Open experience of a lifetime in January when she takes to the court to perform the coin toss at the first Grand Slam of the year.

Taylor Orme, 12, has won the NZ Hot Shots Tennis major prize and will travel over to Melbourne with her mum Emma Kain to take part in Tennis Australia’s Hot Shots AO Experience programme with junior players from across Australia.

The prize includes return flights for two to Melbourne, four nights accommodation, tickets to attend three sessions at Rod Laver Arena, and the chance to meet some renowned players and perform the legendary coin toss at the start of a match.

“She went quiet and was in shock when I told her,” mum Emma said.

“She was looking at me like I was perhaps pranking her ... then it set in and she started jumping around the room saying 'yes, yes, yes' and then ‘I have to ring my friends, I have to ring nana, I need to tell everyone!’ She is absolutely thrilled and ridiculously excited.”

Emma said it was “a dream come true to head away with my daughter and watch the superstars of tennis in Melbourne”.

“For both of us, tennis is our life! We both play regularly and I actively volunteer and assist at the local Richmond club and am part of the committee,” she said.

“My heart thumped out of my chest and I was completely breathless as I received the news.”

Tennis New Zealand has recently launched a refresh of the Hot Shots Tennis programme for junior players aged 3-12 years old and has been running the NZ Hot Shots Crew major prize draw throughout November and December.

Hot Shots Tennis is enjoyed by more than 70,000 juniors at over 200 venues across New Zealand.

It is a fun way for children to play and learn about tennis at an appropriate age and stage for them; using modified equipment and court sizes, it combines best-practice development with fun for all abilities and experience levels.