It’s a long way from the tiny country town of Dunkeld to suburban Footscray.
A two-hour 56 minute drive, clocking up 254 kilometres, will get you from point to point.
That is the journey young tennis prodigy Curtis Noble made to give himself the best chance of becoming a professional player.
Noble was not going to get elite coaching, professional structures or competitive matches back home, so he opted for a move to the Maribyrnong Sports Academy with its program for emerging athletes.
The decision to move impacted not only on Noble but also his parents, as he was only 14 at the time. The incredible sacrifices of Noble’s mother, Rose, and father, Perry, made their son’s dream a reality.
Perry still lives and works on the family farm in Dunkeld, while Rose has picked up work in Melbourne to be with her son, so he can give tennis his best shot.
Four years on, the move is reaping rewards, with Noble set to represent Victoria in the 18-and-under national championships in Tasmania next month.
Noble is thrilled to be able to represent Victoria.
The 17-year-old will play in both the singles and teams events at the tournament.
“It’s an honour to play for the state,” he said.
Noble’s game has grown exponentially since his move. He credits coach Marc Sophoulis for refining his game to the point where he enters next month’s nationals with a genuine shot at success.
“He’s a top coach,” Noble said. “I was a pretty good tennis player when I came to the school, but I never really had a structure to my game, never really had a game plan, and he’s given me that.
“He’s identified my strengths and weaknesses – helped me build on my strengths and reduce my weaknesses.”
Noble is not afraid of hard work and has embraced his time at the sports academy, spending upwards of 10 hours a day on court and three hours in the gym – all the while keeping his year 12 studies ticking over.
“I love getting out on court and playing and training,” he said.
“I’ve accepted the fact you’ve got to train hard and you’ve got to love the feeling that training hurts because it’s going to be beneficial in the long run.”
Noble looks up to Roger Federer – the only man to have spent more than 300 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings.
He likes the Swiss superstar because of his work ethic and ability to grind out a victory in a five-setter.
Noble points to the mental toughness of Federer as what sets him apart from the rest.
“He pushes through; he’s mentally focused,” Noble said.
“He trains hard and is so smooth in the way he plays.”
Mental toughness is the main area of Noble’s game he wants to bring to its optimum with the sports psychologist at the academy.
“Everyone can train for the physical side of stuff, but not many people have access to a sports psychologist,” Noble said.
“The mental part of the game is bigger than physical, so if I can get that down pat, it gives you a huge edge over many players.”
Once he completes his VCE, Noble will turn his attention to carving out a full-time tennis career.
“I’ve always dreamed of being a pro tennis player,” he said.
“I’d like to go full-time and put all my time and training into tennis and go for a pro ranking and see if I can hold it.
“It’s all about giving yourself the best shot,” he said.
