Oliver Golding was once a budding actor but he insists there is no bigger stage than the inaugural Youth Olympics to display his growing talents as a tennis player.
Golding has enjoyed mercurial rise since opting to hit balls rather than learn lines attending every major Grand Slam and becoming the youngest British junior number one, aged 15, since 2005.
Now 16 Golding achieved the best result of his career on his second Junior Wimbledon appearance in July beating world number one Jason Kubler before falling to Australian Benjamin Mitchell in the semi-finals.
Such performances rank Golding 29th in this year’s junior world rankings just inside the top 32 that qualify to travel to Singapore for the first ever Youth Olympics.
And Golding – who is the sole tennis player on the 39-strong British team – is adamant his trip to the Lion City will eclipse everything he has achieved on or off the court to date.
“I’m looking forward to competing at the Youth Olympics because it’s going to be a great experience,” said Golding – who begins his campaign at the Kallang Tennis Centre on Sunday.
“Tennis is an individual sport and you don’t get much of a chance to compete as part of a team so it’s going to be a great experience for me and something I will remember forever.
“I did quite well at Wimbledon this year so I’m feeling good about myself and hopefully I can bring back a gold medal.
“I haven't really set myself any specific targets, obviously I’d love to come home with a medal but if I don’t it’s just to make the most of the experience.
“If I am on top of my game then I’ve definitely got a chance of winning. I play against the same guys all year so they all know me and I know them so hopefully I can play my best tennis and if I do, I have got a great chance.”
While Golding will compete at the Youth Olympics for the first time it won’t be his British debut having travelled to Mexico last September for the Junior Davis Cup Final.
Golding remains focused on competing at every senior Grand Slam in the years to come but believes his trip to Singapore will also pave the way for a shot at the London Olympics in two years time.
“I don’t get the opportunity to represent Great Britain very often so I am definitely going to make the most of it,” he added.
“I’ve never been part of anything to do with the Olympics so it is going to be a unique experience and hopefully I can do it again in London.
“It is going to be pretty hard to qualify because I will still be quite young but hopefully I can use the Youth Olympics as a stepping stone towards that.”
Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. Visit LloydsTSB.com/London2012
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