Australian Institute of Sport athlete Ben Mitchell recorded his best result ever at a major tennis tournament, finishing runner-up in the junior boy’s Wimbledon final on 4 July.

The 17-year-old Mitchell put up a good fight, despite being defeated 6–4 6–4 by the number 13 seed, Hungary’s Marton Fuscovics who clinched the title.

Mitchell collected seven consecutive wins in the preliminary rounds on his way to reaching the final.

Since joining the AIS Pro Tour program in February 2009 Mitchell —coached by Brent Larkham and Shannon Nettle — has seen a steady improvement in his game and has been enjoying strong results in international competition. 

AIS Pro Tour Program Head Coach Larkham said Mitchell’s result is reward for all the effort he has put in since joining the program.

‘Ben stepped up another level in reaching the junior boy’s Wimbledon final,’ Larkham said.

‘He has come a long way since he joined the AIS Pro Tour Program in February last year.

‘So much hard work has been done by Ben and all the team around him over the last 18 months and he fully deserved a crack at the Wimbledon title.’

Mitchell was the first Australian to contest the Wimbledon junior final since Chris Guccione in 2003.

The AIS Tennis program, in partnership with Tennis Australia, supports the development of talented athletes by providing access to leading coaching and sport science expertise and world-class training facilities, including newly constructed clay courts modelled on the French Open surface.