Junior tennis continues to grow at a rapid pace in Wilmington and two up-and-coming stars are 9-year-old Peyton Philemon and 8-year-old Augie Ballantine.
The rising duo may not be associated with some of the more well-known tennis programs in the Wilmington area, but their skill levels and ability to grow will likely help make a name for themselves in the years to come, according to their coach.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with these two girted kids for a while now and I know they are just as good off the court as they are on it,” said Laney High School tennis coach Beau Summersill, who also works as a private instructor in Wilmington. “They have great personalities, love to work hard and are tons of fun to work with.
“I often catch myself being amazed by some of the shots they can come up with even at their age.”
After finding success in her first junior tournament appearance at the age of 7 in September 2013, with a win in the consolation round, Philemon quickly gained a taste for what it takes to win and wanted more. Eight days after the Wilmington tournament, the fourth grader at Island Montessori in Carolina Beach won her first competition, only giving up four games the entire weekend.
“Peyton’s work with Beau [Summersill] has been a big reason for her success,” said Peyton’s mom, Elisabeth. “These two have a great student-coach relationship and understanding. She has had a tremendous year of growth and tournament success.”
Over the last two seasons, Philemon has competed in numerous events, with six titles and three more finals appearances, including a championship performance at the Pepsi Junior Open Aug. 17-18 in Florence, South Carolina.
“I’ve been working with Peyton for over a year now and Augie since last Christmas and their game is far beyond their age,” Summersill said. “It is awesome to watch them compete and have fun on the tennis court. They have so much potential that I just hope they stay with this wonderful sport, and who knows, they could really be great one day.”
In September 2013, Philemon was ranked No. 122 in North Carolina among her peers, but because of her success over the past year, Philemon has skyrocketed to No. 5 in North Carolina and 28th in the South.
While her achievements on the court have been something her coach and family knew was possible because of all the work and practice, Philemon also understands the importance of contributing outside her passion.
Improving her game and working hard at school may be atop the priority list, but Philemon also spends some of her spare time giving back to the community as a volunteer with her mom at Nourish N.C., a nonprofit organization that feeds hundreds of hungry children in Wilmington and the surrounding area.
“A few times a month, we pack food for local kids,” said Elisabeth. “When I first told Peyton about this organization, she was shocked and saddened by the alarming statistics. I have always been civic-minded, so sharing this experience with Peyton is everything to me.”
Ballantine is currently ranked 30th in North Carolina and 84th in the South. The third-grader at St. Mark Catholic School has won five USTA Tournaments and continues to improve on his game alongside Summersill and local tennis great Lenny Simpson.
Ballantine enjoys facing some of his favorites–like Roger Federer–while practicing against the garage the door at his home or at the Althea Gibson Tennis Complex to get ready for his next match.
“I like tennis because it’s a great sport,” said Ballantine. “I like to hit against the garage door and pretend to be playing the pros, or my next opponent in a tournament,” he said. “I like to meet nice players when we travel to tournaments. But mostly, I like tennis because it’s lot of fun.”
