Could Aberdeen teenager Caelan McKechnie become the next Andy Murray?

Could an Aberdeen tennis player be the next Andy Murray?

That’s the hope of tennis fans in the north-east after up-and-coming youngster Caelan McKechnie recently won a national competition at Wimbledon.

The 14-year-old won a singles title after beating some of the best players in the country in his age group.

Caelan can’t remember a time when he didn’t have a tennis racquet in his hand. The teenager started playing the game at just three-years-old. Since then, the talented teen has gone from strength-to-strength.

But his biggest career highlight was his recent success on the iconic grass at SW19.

“It feels really good because you watch videos online of the players in the practice courts, but being there and playing myself was a great feeling,” Caelan told STV News.

The “Play Away to Wimbledon” competition aims to inspire the next generation of tennis talent by giving young players the chance to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

“He won seven matches in five days and took home the winner’s trophy,” said Caelan’s dad, Gordon.

“It was a fantastic moment to watch that and a fantastic moment for Caelan to do it. Tennis has suited him really well. He loves to compete so he’s a very competitive boy. It’s just something he has loved and really wanted to do since day one.”

The youngster has already won 60 tournaments over the last three years and is currently number one in Scotland in his age group.

Darren Nicol, coach at Rubislaw Tennis Club, said: “Obviously winning the Road to Wimbledon under 14s, breaking into the UK top 10, now they’ll have to make some decisions about whether to bring him out of school and do a bit more tennis.”

“It would be great to see him kick on and give himself the best chance possible of going full time.”

Caelan was a toddler when Murray won his first Wimbledon so it’s no surprise the former world number one is his biggest inspiration, and he hopes to continue following in his idol’s footsteps.