Last Thursday, Walker Duncan got the phone call that he was being awarded a last-minute wildcard spot in the main draw of the Junior US Open (which was starting 3 days later!). This high-school senior from Atlanta had never played in a Junior Slam – what an opportunity! He and his parents quickly scrambled to make travel arrangements to get to New York so Walker would have a chance to get settled in and practice on the courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center before his first round match on Sunday. I caught up with Walker in the Player’s Lounge – as you can see from the grin on his face in the photo above, he was thrilled to be here! He talked with me about what it means to play in the Junior US Open and his plans for the future:
Walker’s parents and his brother, Sawyer (who played tennis at Furman University), 
were among the many fans in the stands cheering for Walker during his first round match versus Juan Jose Rosas (Peru). Unfortunately, things didn’t go Walker’s way today, but he’ll have another shot tomorrow in his first-round doubles match with partner Deiton Baughman. Definitely keep an eye on this young man as he finishes his junior tennis career and heads to the University of Georgia next Fall. He’s going to be a great asset to the Bulldogs and coaches Manny Diaz and Will Glenn.
Click on the arrow in the YouTube box below to hear Walker’s take on this exciting opportunity.
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