Rising stars inspired after unforgettable experiences at Australian Open 2024 | 18 May, 2024 | All News | News and Features | News and Events

Two of the participants at Tennis Australia’s 11s National Camp this week in Melbourne have returned with very special memories.

The last time that Queensland talent Sarah Good-Giles and Jobe Dikkenberg, who recently relocated from Canberra to Brisbane, were at Melbourne Park, they had the honour of conducting the coin toss for Grand Slam finals at Rod Laver Arena.

Good-Giles took centre stage at the Australian Open 2024 women’s singles final between Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen.

“I was a bit nervous, but also excited,” she recalled of that moment.

“I thought I was going to mess up the coin flip, but it was really fun.

“I also got to have dinner in the lounge and I saw Sabalenka there, which was really exciting.”

The experience provided further motivation for Good-Giles, who is one of Australia’s most promising players in the 2013 birth year, to continue chasing her tennis goals.

“I’d like to become a professional and be top 10 in the world,” she said.

The following night, Dikkenberg tossed the coin ahead of the Australian Open 2024 men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev.

“It was really awesome and also kind of scary at the time as well,” Dikkenberg related. “To meet Sinner and Medvedev and do the coin toss, I’ll never forget that.

“It has inspired me to try and play at Rod Laver Arena one day.”

Dikkenberg credits his older brother Elijah, who is a National Tennis Academy athlete and also one of Australia’s most promising prospects, for “getting me into tennis” and names Rafael Nadal as his favourite player.

“I like that he’s a fighter and never gives up,” he said of the Spanish champion.

Good-Giles and Dikkenberg are among 16 athletes taking part in the four-day 11s National Camp in Melbourne this week.