Anderson Parker has claimed singles and doubles wins in the Australian Wheelchair tennis national championships.
Parker, who spent his early years in Forbes, was thrilled with his championship campaign - and now has his sights set on climbing the rankings towards the Australian Open and the 2028 Paralympics.
Parker won the singles championship in two sets over his doubles partner Ben Weekes in a match where the players traded game for game in the first set.
Parker won the first 6-4 but it was Weekes who had the upper hand in the second, forcing Parker to fight back from 5-2 down.
But fight back he did, coming back 7-6 and then winning the tie-break 9-7.
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"It was very intense coming back from that sort of deficit," Parker said.
It's the first time he's beaten his doubles partner in straight sets but it wasn't the only thing that was special about the match.
The two gained wildcard entry to the Paris Paralympic Games and while Parker didn't progress past his first round, the experience has changed his game and in the nationals his unforced errors had dropped right away.
"It was all about who could produce the better shots, it was a very different feeling," he said.
The grand finalists from the singles then teamed up to win the doubles at the national championships and that was another thrill.
"At Paris Paralympics we managed to form a really good bond," Parker said, that leading to a much more coordinated partnership at nationals.
"I personally think we both supplement each other's game, we just need more time together. I think (the partnership) is on a good track."
The Paralympics was a great experience personally as well: seeing the number and the calibre of athletes with disability and then having a little bit of time to experience Paris with his family, including Forbes-based grandparents.
Since coming home, he hasn't stopped working on his game.
Parker's experience there has motivated him to continue to work not only on the physical side of wheelchair tennis - which he's only been back in for a few years after a change in classification - but also the mental side.
Parker met Argentina's Ezequiel Casco in the first round and had a good start in both sets before going down 7-5, 6-4.
The whole experience has fired him up to campaign to play in Los Angeles in 2028, and to gain direct entry to the Australian Open.
A new level of consistency throughout the match at nationals was a good sign of the progress he's making, now Parker's sights are set on a set of tournaments in Türkiye in coming weeks.
