Former AIS scholarship holder Pat Cash has returned to the Institute’s tennis program in Canberra to give a helping hand to some of Australia’s best young players.

Cash signed on with Tennis Australia earlier this year to work with top junior players during 2010, and will pass on his experience to members of the AIS/Tennis Australia Pro Tour Tennis program.

‘I’ve really enjoyed coming back to the AIS and working with our talented young players,’ Cash said.

‘Things have certainly changed since I was last here with players having access to world class facilities such as Sport Science and Medicine and state of the strength and conditioning.’  

‘I’ve stressed to the players that they have to work hard and take advantage of the opportunity they have been given through their scholarship here at the AIS.’

Cash, who was an AIS scholarship holder from 1981/82, defeated World No.1 Ivan Lendl to win the 1987 Wimbledon final. He also reached the final of the Australian Open twice going down to Stefan Edberg in 1987 and Mats Wilander in 1988.

Cash first came to the tennis world’s attention as a junior player in the early 1980’s. He was ranked the top junior player in the world in 1981, and in 1982 he won the junior title at both Wimbledon and the US Open.