Daily Mail

Golding getting his act together on new stage
Last updated on 19th April 2009

Should he ever make the big time you can be sure that Oliver Golding, who has emerged as the country's top Under 16 player, will not be fazed by the attention. He has already been exposed to the bright lights after a successful career as a child actor that saw him star in a feature-length movie and appear in major productions at the London Palladium.

Before concentrating on tennis, this remarkable teenager's credits included appearing alongside Christopher Lee in the re-make of the Disney classic Greyfriars Bobby, and featuring in stage hits Scrooge and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This is one reason he has slightly sneaked under most people's radar in tennis, another being his previously diminutive stature.

Still only 15, he has shot up by a foot in the last year to more than 6ft and in January he won an Under 18 ITF event in Sweden while reaching the final in another, with sound judges now marking him down as a genuine prospect. An aggressive baseliner, Twickenham- based Golding plans to take his first proper steps on the professional ladder next month at three British Futures events. 'I suppose the acting experience has helped me in that I am quite relaxed in front of crowds,' Golding told me last week from Alicante, where he reached the last eight in his latest ITF junior event. 'I got into the acting when I was about six, but I have not done much in the past 18 months because my ambition is to make it in tennis. I have had to put aside my love for the arts and these days prefer to be on the court doing the physical stuff.' Nonetheless, he sounds like a Renaissance Man in the making.

Guardian

Golding a future star
By Craig Nelson

Aspiring tennis sensation Oliver Golding succeeded where Greg Rusedski couldn't in the England versus Scotland Aberdeen Tennis Cup. The Twickenham based 12-year-old gave his Scottish counterpart Scott Lister an 11-4 thrashing to claim a half point for England in the boy's rubber of the promotional event. Oliver was later tipped for stardom by Scottish captain Andrew Murray, who singled him out as one to watch. Oliver said: "I was delighted with that. Andrew is a bit of a hero of mine so that was great to catch his eye. I aim to be able to beat him by the time I am 16, or maybe 18 at the latest."

Oliver was a surprise choice to play in the competition, picked out by cup sponsors Fred Perry. He has made the final of the National Championships two years running but chooses not to play on the British junior circuit so he is only ranked 81 in the country in his age group. The youngster combines tennis training at his mother's Garden Club in Twickenham and the Riverside Esporta Club in Chiswick with an acting career and is currently starring at the London Palladium alongside Tommy Steele in Scrooge, playing Tiny Tim's brother Peter Cratchit.

Sandra Golding, Oliver's mother and former tennis coach, believes her son's stage experience helped him rise to the challenge of performing in front of the Sky TV cameras and the 3,000 patriotic tennis fans who packed the arena. She explained: "We didn't know it was a proper professional match until we got there and met Greg Rusedski at the hotel. "I was a bit worried for him because we knew his opponent was a good player, but Scott seemed to freeze in front of all those people. "Oliver comes alive on stage and he literally blew Scott off the court. He was on fire." Oliver's efforts had little impact on the result of the tournament, which Scotland won 4-2. Andrew Murray won the crucial rubber, beating an injured Greg Rusedski 10-1 in the deciding tie break after the match proper ended 4-6, 6-4.

10:55am Saturday 10th December 2005


Sky Sports

MURRAY LIFTS SCOTLAND IN ABERDEEN
Sunday 27th November 2005

Scotland have won the inaugural Aberdeen Cup after Andy Murray's 4-6 6-4 10-1 defeat of Greg Rusedski ensured a 4½ - 2½ overall win at the Aberdeen International Centre. Results earlier in the evening had ensured Scotland a 3½ - 2½ lead heading into the evening's climactic contest meaning that, even had Murray lost, Scotland could, at worst, tie the tournament. But the 18-year-old British number three bounced back from his first-day defeat against an opponent ranked one place above him to take the win, Murray ruthlessly exploiting a calf strain suffered by his 32-year-old opponent.

Earlier in the evening Murray teamed up with older brother Jamie to defeat Rusedski and David Sherwood 6-3 2-6 10-5 and edge Scotland into a 2½ - 2 lead. But a confident display on the big stage from Oliver Golding drew England level once again, the 12-year-old defeating Scott Lister 11-4 in the junior game which took the format of a champion's tiebreak. Jamie Murray and Elena Baltacha beat David Sherwood and Katie O'Brien in straight sets 7-5 6-3 in the mixed doubles to extend Scotland's lead to 3½ - 2½ - the result that meant they could not lose the Cup. After coming back from 3-0 down, Scottish number one Baltacha sealed the opening set 7-5 with a booming ace. The first six games of the second set went with serve before Scotland achieved the all-important break to go 4-3 up. Baltacha then extended Scotland's lead to 5-3 with a beautiful volley before a missed volley from O'Brien both handed Scotland the match and set up the tournament's finale.

BBC SPORTS TENNIS

Last Updated: Sunday, 27 November 2005, 21:40 GMT
Murray gains revenge on Rusedski

Murray took advantage of Rusedski's calf injury Andy Murray beat Greg Rusedski in the final singles match to seal victory for Scotland in the inaugural Aberdeen Cup.

The England v Scotland team competition finished 4½-2½ as the 18-year-old Scot avenged his loss the previous day to Rusedski with a 4-6 6-4 10-1 win. Another tight match showed Murray, who has surged up the rankings this year, is closing the gap on the British No 2. But Rusedski, 32, was hampered by a calf injury, with Murray racing through their tie-break decider. Murray admitted afterwards: "I didn't think I was going to win, Greg was serving great. "He's a great player and everyone here should give him a hand. It's great to get a player like Greg, who has been to number four in the world and to a final of a Grand Slam."

Rusedski praised Murray's ruthlessness when his injury began to hamper his mobility. "That's a good sign - we want to see players showing no mercy," he said. Rusedski added he would still be gunning for Tim Henman's British number one spot in 2005. "And now it's a three-man competition with Andy, Tim Henman and myself. It's going to be interesting next year."

Earlier, Murray had tasted success against his Davis Cup team-mate by taking a 6-3 2-6 10-5 doubles victory with his brother Jamie. They teamed up to beat Rusedski and David Sherwood to bring Scotland level by winning a first-to-10 champions tiebreak after each pair took a set. England levelled thanks to the half-point earned by Oliver Golding, 12, with his 11-4 champions tiebreak win over Scott Lister in the junior rubber. But the hosts then went ahead when Jamie Murray and Elena Baltacha beat Sherwood and Katie O'Brien 7-5 6-3.


Richmond and Twickenham Times Serving up future stars
By Dale Harry

Teddington tennis sensation Laura Robson and Twickenham prospect Oliver Golding, both aged ten, got a taste of what it's like to grace the hallowed turf of Wimbledon as members of the Ariel Champions of the Future programme - a LTA backed scheme designed to nurture the nation's future stars. The two donned their championship whites and met Wimbledon greats Martina Navratilova and Todd Woodbridge. Last month, Laura won the LTA's Clay Court Series at Queenswood Tennis Club and is now on course to play in the Masters final of the Sunday Telegrath/Center Parcs Junior Tennis Grand Prix.

11:46am Friday 2nd July 2004

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