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Edmonton proud home to 2 rising tennis stars

Click to play video: '2 young tennis stars making name for Edmonton'
2 young tennis stars making name for Edmonton
WATCH ABOVE: Edmonton isn't exactly known as a tennis city but two local young ladies are certainly holding court at the national level. Quinn Phillips has more – Apr 25, 2018

For the first time in its history, the Saville Community Sports Centre has a national tennis champion.

Mia Kupres, 14, won gold at the championship earlier this month.

Making things even more exciting in our city, the runner-up is 12-year-old Martyna Ostrzygalo, who also trains at the Saville Centre.

The two train together everyday for about two hours a day and they say the national final was pretty normal because they play each other in a lot of tournaments.

“It was kind of easier because we know each other’s game,” Kupres said. “But then, at the same time, she’s younger, so I was feeling a little bit of pressure.”

“It was interesting because Mia’s… bigger weapon that she’s developed is her forehand,” said Carson Bell, Team Alberta’s coach. “Martyna was really the first player [in] the whole tournament that went after her backhand for almost the whole start of the match.”
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After finishing first and second, both girls were selected to Canada’s junior team which will represent the country at the North Central America and Caribbean Final Qualifier in Mexico. The top two nations at this tournament will move on to the junior Fed Cup.

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“The way that the girls are playing and how prepared they are, I think that they’re poised to do some great things,” Bell said.

Martyna Ostrzygalo, 12, and Mia Kupres, 14, both train at the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton. Quinn Phillips, Global News

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