Former Westholme student, Elizabeth Rimmer, 16, from Euxton, stepped onto the world stage in tennis this year, competing in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior World Tour.
The tour showcases the brightest young talents in tennis from across the globe and includes the junior Grand Slams: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Balancing her studies with international competition Lizzie, as she is known to her friends, recently returned from Portugal, where she competed in singles and doubles at the J30 Portimao tournament.
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She said: “It has been a step up in standards competing on the ITF tour, but I have learnt a lot from the tournaments I’ve played in so far and I’m excited about competing more regularly at this level.
“My GCSEs took priority over the last year but I was still determined to compete at major tournaments.”
Lizzie made her ITF debut in Belgium in January and in August, competing in the J30 Benidorm Tennis Tournament in Spain.
Battling against tough international opponents in temperatures exceeding 35 degrees, Lizzie reached the semi-finals in the doubles competition, securing her very first Junior World Ranking points. A proud moment celebrated by Lizzie, her family and the Westholme community.
Since September, Lizzie has begun a sports and exercise science course at college and continues to combine her studies with training and competition on the international tennis tour.
Further tournaments this autumn will see Lizzie travel to the Netherlands and Germany, further building her experience and her ranking.
Westholme’s principal, Mr Paul Taylor, said: “Lizzie’s journey captures what Westholme is all about. We have always encouraged our students to chase the things they are most passionate about and supported them in building the confidence to do so.
“Seeing Lizzie out there on the world stage makes us incredibly proud of not just her talent, but also the spirit of determination and passion that we encourage all our students to carry through life. Well done, Lizzie – your Westholme family will be cheering you on every step of the way.”