ACT national academy coach Todd Larkham has backed star junior Nick Kyrgios to cause some upsets at the Australian Open qualifying tournament in Melbourne tomorrow.
Kyrgios proved he could match it with more experienced opponents at the Australian Open wildcard play-off last month.
The 16-year-old made it to the quarter-finals before being beaten by Marinko Matosevic.
Now he's determined to go one step further and make his Grand Slam debut next week.
There are 16 spots up for grabs at the qualifying tournament - eight wildcards and eight spots for players who win three matches and advance to the next round.
''Most players are ranked between 200 and 250 in the world, Nick doesn't have a [senior] ranking yet so it's going to be tough for him,'' Larkham said.
''He should be feeling good after his effort at the wildcard play-off and like he belongs and he can match it with the other guys.
''It would be unbelievable to qualify ... there have hardly been any 16-year-olds in the history of the Australian Open, maybe two or three over the past 15 years.
''I wouldn't say he has a good chance, but he has a long shot and it's possible. He can definitely pull off an upset - the challenge is winning three matches in a row.''
Kyrgios headlines a trio of Canberra juniors attempting to make an impact in Melbourne over the next month.
While he is the only one aiming for a spot in the senior draw, he will also play in the junior Open alongside James Frawley and Ashley Keir, who is aiming to qualify for the girl's tournament.
The draw for Kyrgios's senior qualifying campaign will be finalised today.
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