Innisfail's 16-year-old tennis phenom Charvher Vincent Dael is making tennis waves.
Dael won the U-18 Tennis Academy Championship held in Calgary on Sept. 29 with a victory over Spanish-born Fernando Araujo in two sets, 6-4 and 6-3, to claim top spot and a nod towards qualifying for tennis nationals in 2015.
“This was my first competition of this season,” said Dael of his victory. “I plan on entering tennis opens with my coach to improve my skills and gain experience until nationals next year which is my goal. Earlier this year, in July, I won the consolation final at provincials, which were held in Edmonton and gained more experience in advanced match play.”
The young tennis player attends Notre Dame High School in Red Deer and is part of the Alberta Elite Program and a member of the Red Deer Tennis Club. He practises three days a week, three hours per session to improve his skills.
“I catch the bus after school and go straight to the club. My father picks me up around 8 p.m. on tennis nights,” said the athlete, who is aiming to become a police officer after he graduates in 2016.
“My family picks me up from practice and takes me to tournaments,” said Dael of his family's ongoing support. “Over the last two years, McDonald's sponsored my mom and I got to go to Ontario, and this July they did it again. I am so thankful they are there to support me. Our whole family went east for two weeks this year as part of nationals.”
Dael arrived in Canada from the Republic of the Philippines in 2010 and has since taken up the sport more seriously and progressed in tennis circles to where he is now, preparing for junior nationals one more time.
Meanwhile, Dael will continue to practise with the Red Deer Tennis Club, to work at McDonald's and attend Grade 11. At age 16, he has a solid goal in mind, and is well on the path to getting there, one serve at a time.
