Barely in their teens, Thai rising tennis stars Suphawat Sae-Oui and Salakthip Ounmuang's skills with the tennis racket go beyond their tender age of 13.
Their booming serve, powerful ground strokes and overall tennis skills, in fact, have been so impressive on the tennis court that the duo were able to reach the quarter-finals of the eighth edition of the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament in Paris late last month.
Taking place during the same week as The Roland Garros 2018 French Open, the top event had attracted 40 (20 boys and 20 girls) promising young tennis players in the age group of 13 and under from across the globe.
The Thai teens showcased their sporting talent, drawing a sizeable number of admirers at each of their matches.
Suphawat, who was chaperoned by elder brother Suphawit, plays a powerful game reminiscent of Thailand's one time tennis ace Paradorn Srichaphan. He had this to say about his idol: "Yes, I am a big fan of P'Ball [Paradorn's nickname] whom I have idolised since I started competing at the national level as an eight year old. I believe I have his confidence and positive attitude. This is what helped me to give it my all at the Longines Future Tennis Aces event."
Rising tennis stars Suphawat Sae-Oui and Salakthip Ounmuang. Longines Thailand
Regarding his elimination in the quarter-finals, he said self-critically: "I had hoped for better results but lost my nerve due to the excitement. I think this is due to a lack of match experience. I don't get to compete at international events often as I don't have the sponsorship to cover this expense."
Nonetheless, the rising tennis star remained positive about his future, saying: "I hope to play at the ITF tournaments as a junior and when I get older make a name for my country as a tennis professional. I want to follow in the footsteps of P'Ball's professional tennis career. He played exquisite tennis and had impeccable manners on the court."
While Suphawat's strong forehand and well-rounded game make him a strong opponent, it is his drive to succeed and fighting spirit that he credits for his memorable victories at the 2017 Thailand Championships where he took home both the boys' singles and doubles trophies. He is also ranked No.1 in his age group in Thailand.
On officially becoming a part of the national squad last year, the tennis talent remarked: "It is good to become part of the national team, however, it would be really good to have sponsors support my aspirations of becoming a professional tennis player when I grow older. My parents are not that wealthy, and so far they have already invested a lot of money in my passion for the game."
Long-term plans for the Phuket-born athlete include finding sponsors to foot the bill for his sports attire, tennis shoes, tennis rackets and financial support for travelling to compete abroad. Simultaneously, he would also need to hire a professional coach to help take him to the next stage of his tennis career.
This he believes is needed for him to reach his goal of entering the top 10 of the ATP rankings prior to turning 22. He realises it is necessary to do well at tournaments abroad.
"Tournaments such as the Longines Future Tennis Aces is great for a Thai kid like myself because for one, it lifts my confidence each time I am able to beat a competitor that comes from Europe or the US where they have better equipped tennis programmes and facilities," said the Thai teen.
"Besides the match experience, I also get to meet like-minded boys my age. I have been here for a week and the camaraderie I have felt has been great. I am a fierce competitor, but off the court, I joke around with everyone. We play computer games and chill out, sometimes even without understanding each other's language, it's loads of fun!"
On the approach parents should take with a sports-gifted child, Suphawat said: "In terms of education, I would say the way in which my parents are bringing me up is good. For one, they want me to play tennis as well as pursue my education. The difference is that they don't expect me to top my class, as long as my grades are average, they are fine with it."
For Salakthip it was pretty much the same.
After reaching the quarter-finals herself, the Bangkok-born teen hopes having competed at the Longines Future Tennis Aces will give her the exposure needed to get sponsors to support her budding sports talent.
"This was a memorable tournament for me. Besides competing with some very strong tennis-playing nations like the US and Spain, I was able to make new friends. I feel this event gave me a foretaste of how it is to compete at a grand slam. Playing on clay court, right under the Eiffel Tower, was truly special. It is my desire that this will eventually help me realise my dreams of becoming a professional tennis player," said Salakthip, who was introduced to tennis by her elder brother and salesman father.
Her career highlights so far have included victories at the Thailand Championships' under-8, under-10, under-12 and under-14 age groups, as well as a string of junior events she participated in as a national player.
Salakthip, who began playing tennis at five, describes it as a great way to rid oneself of stress. To take her passion for the sport to the next level, she said, she will have to practise even harder, be more disciplined and aim to become a more well-rounded athlete.
"My ability to practise hard and focus on winning are, in my opinion, personal attributes that should bring me success. However, I hope that Thailand will be able to develop tennis coaches of a higher calibre, so we don't have to depend on trainers from abroad," suggested Salakthip.
"Currently, I just have my elder brother and dad train me. At school I also don't really have a trainer that can up my game. It is kind of frustrating to have to look forward to training for national events, which is the only time we get national players prep us."
Salakthip candidly talked about how it felt to compete at events where she doesn't know a soul.
"It can all get pretty overwhelming at times. I appreciate the fact that at the Future Tennis Aces tournament, the event organisers paid for my father to chaperone me, otherwise it can become very lonely as everyone is a new face. My English isn't great, so it can become stressful.
"However, when I am at my lowest, I also tell myself that while it is okay to feel disheartened at times I must never give up. What boosts my confidence is my passion for tennis and my ambition to make it big in this sport and make my country proud one day."
