The Tribune

YOUNG, up and coming tennis phenom Khai Rees has been invited to play in his first professional tennis tournament at the age of 17.

Khai is making his debut into the pro ranks at the ITF M15 Heraklion in Crete, Greece March 17-23.

Khai was given a wildcard entry. This is the first level of professional ATP tour play.

The M15 Heraklion is an ITF-sanctioned event and is a Futures level tournament for top tennis propects from around the world who want to go pro. 

Khai, who has been training with his coaches at the AXIS Tennis Academy in Delray Beach, Florida is viewed as someone to watch. 

Axis Tennis Academy is the same place that another Bahamian breakout tennis star, Justin Roberts, trained under. Axis is a proven pathway to the best colleges in the United States. it was initially established in South Florida to provide a hub for ambitious tennis players with a goal of either representing a top US college or competing in the professional tennis game. 

With a proven track record for developing and improving players, Axis Tennis has become one of the highest achieving tennis programmes in the United States. 

The M15 Heraklion is a Level 2 Futures event and gives up and coming tennis propects the opportunity to establish themselves on the circuit. 

Khai, who developed an interest in tennis from an early age, has shown tremendous promise. He has been closely watched by the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association and his local coach, and has been included in their subvention programme to assist with his training. 

Although that is still being worked on by the Ministry and the BLTA, Khai is not undaunted in his quest to be an outstanding tennis player and represent The Bahamas on the world stage. This tennis tournament is being played at the Lyttos Beach Sportscenter in the Lyttos Beach Hotel, Hersonissos, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The tournament director is Antonis Kalaitzakis and Khai is excited to have the opportunity to play in this Futures event and represent The Bahamas.

Young Khai has been playing tennis and representing The Bahamas from he was nine years old. He has shown a knack for the game and his parents got him enrolled in tennis. His local coach Marvin Rolle has been working with him up to his move to the US and he started training at Axis. His personal coach Sergio Martinez in Florida has been keeping a sharp eye on his development and believes that Khai is ready to test the waters in top international tennis tournaments where he will meet some of the best propects in the world. Khai was a top student at SAC with a GPA of 3.6 up until the 10th grade, when he left to continue his studies in the US. He moved to Laurel Springs School in Florida, where he can get a better foothold on his career in tennis. 

So far everything looks promising as his first invitation to a Futures event is through a wild card entry, where only a few of these are given out to exceptional players. 

The tournament is already underway in Crete, Greece, and Khai is well on his way to establishing his career in pro tennis. 

The sky is the limit but most Bahamians have a more difficult task of getting the opportunities to develop their skills to be world renowned. Only through the support and love of their parents, local coaches and strangers who see the potential early, they get these opportunities. 

Khai is the son of local accountant and businessman Nicholas Rees, a former two-time Olympic  swimmer for The Bahamas, and his wife Petra. Khai has two siblings, Kingston Rees, another outstanding tennis prodigy and a national team member and Kashta Rees, an up and coming young swimmer.

We look forward to many more great things and achievements from Khai Rees.