Tennis and academia go hand-in-hand for two Gunnedah tennis talents forging their first year of study at the University of Newcastle.
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So it was little surprise to see Chloe Beasley and Zach Martin already blazing the tournament trail at the recent Australian University Games in Sydney.
Zach’s men’s side won gold in the competition’s division two and Chloe’s women’s side, a respectable fifth.
Starting as his team’s number one, Zach won all his singles matches bar one and defeated Macquarie University five sets to one in the final.
It was the undergraduate PE teacher’s first Australian games tournament after competing at the Eastern University Games earlier in the year.
Martin also competed at the Gloucester AMT Tennis Tournament where he played the opens doubles final alongside, dad Dale, and the special doubles final with Gunnedah clubmate, Andrew Osmond.
There will be little rest for Martin who is juggling not only his study commitments but also time as a local tennis coach, as he prepares to contest the Newcastle Open in two weeks time.
Chloe meanwhile, also competed at the Eastern University Games in July before following it up with a strong performance at the Australian games.
There she won all her doubles matches alongside doubles partner Michelle Eastcott from Newcastle, and a couple of singles matches as well.
It too was Chloe’s debut at the Australian University Games .
She found it “a bit challenging” but a great experience all the same.
Her Newcastle team faced squads from universities around the country but considered the Sydney teams as the strongest of the lot.
Chloe is studying radiation therapy which one day will help her to treat cancer patients.
Like Zach, Chloe has also continued her role as a mentor to the next generation of budding tennis stars.
When she is not on the court playing in the university’s social competition, you can usually find Chloe in coaching capacities at various tennis centres around Newcastle.