Solihull’s Luca Pow is dreaming of playing at Wimbledon this summer after being crowned the LTA’s 18 and Under Junior National tennis champion.

Pow, 17, beat defending champion and No.1 seed Will Jansen 7-5 6-4 in a high-quality final at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton and will now be handed a wildcard into qualifying for this year’s Wimbledon Championships, where he could take on world No.1 Novak Djokovic.

A product of the National Academy programme at Loughborough, Pow is part of the programme delivered by Nick Cavaday and a team that enjoyed a successful week at the 18 and under Junior National Championships, with Loughborough-based 14-year-old Mingge (Mimi) Xu claiming the Girls title.

National Academies are generally for players aged 13 to 18, providing high quality, high intensity daily training environments with world class science and medicine support, working in partnership with a local school, to help them successfully develop into emerging tour professionals.

The academies are led by a team of world class coaches together with specialist sport scientists, medics, personal development and welfare practitioners.

Pow is benefitting from that support, with the new champion relishing the best win of his career so far.

He said: “It feels good seeing my name on the trophy. It was tough playing outside after playing our last two matches indoors and Will started off strong. I went 4-2 down in both sets and managed to come back to win.

“It’s been amazing to play at the National Tennis Centre in this event. When you walk around this place and Joe Salisbury strolls past you, the new world No.1 in doubles, it’s crazy.

“The backing we are getting from the LTA and the coaching team at the National Academy at Loughborough is giving us a massive help and we are grateful for the support we get.”

Pow is a big football fan and is following the fortunes of Scottish Premiership side St Mirren, as his cousin is currently striving to start his own professional career north of the border.

“He is in their under-18 side, so I am following St Mirren now to give him my support,” added Pow, who lists Rafael Nadal as his tennis idol.

“I used to play a bit of football myself, but it is all tennis for me now.”

Martin Weston, LTA Men’s Tennis Manager, paid tribute to both finalists after a successful week of action at the National Tennis Centre. 

“It was exactly the sort of match we want to see in a final,” said Weston. “They both played the kind of tennis we want to see, aggressive and brave and Luca did well to come back from 4-2 down in both sets.

“It has been an encouraging week for the Bboys and staging the event at the National Tennis Centre has been a big success. When we started the main draw on Tuesday, it felt like a tour event and the way the courts have been presented and the organisation from Tournament Director Richard Joyner has been great.

“To be around the NTC in a week when a lot of our players are here and to walk past the US Open trophies won by Emma Raducanu and Joe Salisbury every morning is inspirational experience for our junior players.”

The LTA’s National Tennis Centre is now preparing to host the 16 and Under Junior National Championships, with the main draw for that event get underway on Tuesday (April 12th).

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