Helensburgh's Gordon Reid has been named in the British Paralympics team of eight wheelchair tennis players heading for this summer's Games in Beijing.
The 16 year old, supported by the West of Scotland Institute of Sport, only began playing wheelchair tennis in 2005 but has made tremendous progress through the ranks. Aged 15 he became Britain's youngest men's singles national champion last year. He is currently at a career high world singles ranking of No.36 and ranked the world's No.2 junior.
He won three international singles and four international doubles titles in the first three months of this year and has put in highly promising performances against world top 10 players.
Reid, who along with Linlithgow's Kevin Simpson, will be the first Scot to compete in the British Paralympics team, said: It means a huge amount to me that all my hard work over the past year has finally paid off and I've gained qualification.
I'm really looking forward to getting an idea of what a Paralympic Games will be like ahead of London 2012. My aims in China are to play good tennis, enjoy myself and challenge anybody that I come up against.
Until last year, Reid's main focus had been on the London Olympics but increasingly good results helped him see his qualification for Beijing as a possibility. Over time it's been more and more realistic, he said.
Gordon's sharp rise through the world's senior game is more remarkable given he only started the game three years ago. He had been an able bodied tennis player before contracting Transverse Myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord which can cause leg paralysis.
Having played able bodied tennis was an advantage because I already knew most of the shots, he said. I just needed to learn chair movement and the tactics. It was quite easy to get used to it by spending time on court in the chair and doing drills.
Gordon is helped by the Tennis Foundation which provides funding and equipment. His support team expanded last autumn when Karen Ross, Tennis Scotland's High Performance Coach took over his coaching.
At the same time he was signed up by the West of Scotland Institute of Sport which provides high performance expertise in the form of essential support services in sports medicine, sports science, strength and conditioning, and career and lifestyle guidance.
I've been to see the physio at the West of Scotland Institute and have been for a couple of Strength & Conditioning blocks. They were good and I'll make more use of that now I'm at home more.
One of the big differences between me and the top players is fitness so I will definitely work on that and that will help me get my level up.
Dawn Newbery, Great Britain Wheelchair Tennis Team Manager said: The tennis team for Beijing 2008 has a great blend of experience and youth. All players and support staff have reached great personal milestones during the 12 month qualification period and all involved at every level should be very proud.
The focus now is to look at our preparation and tailor it to each player. We need to build on the great work and support that has already been in place and challenge everyone to raise standards that little bit higher than the rest of the world. We have strong medal potential and with 2012 also in everyone's mind, Beijing is a fantastic opportunity to show the world the great strength and depth in the GB tennis team."