IN January 1994 Newcastle's Trudi Musgrave was dreaming of making it big on the world tennis circuit after winning the Australian Open junior title.
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That same month Nicole Hoynaski was born.
Fifteen years later Musgrave is training Sydneysider Hoynaski to repeat her success at this year's Australian Open.
Musgrave, 31, retired after the 2008 Australian Open to focus on coaching.
During her 15-year professional career she reached a world ranking of 62 in doubles, in 2003, and 207 in singles, in 1999.
Four months ago Musgrave was asked by 1996 Wimbledon semi-finalist Jason Stoltenberg to take over coaching Hoynaski, because the 14-year-old had become dissatisfied with the training under Tennis Australia at the National High Performance Tennis Academy at Homebush.
Since then Hoynaski has trained with Musgrave at Charlestown. Her parents drive her from Putney, in Sydney, for training.
"She just wasn't getting enough individual attention, and it was four players to one coach, and you need more than that at this age," Musgrave said. "We get on really well together, and I've taken her to Brunei and Melbourne."
Hoynaski's trip last month to Brunei, which was part of the International Tennis Federation circuit, proved a major breakthrough for the 495th world-ranked junior.
She reached the singles quarter-finals and doubles final.
The 175-centimetre right-hander attributes her rapid progression to Musgrave's coaching.
"My game was improved heaps as soon as I got with her," Hoynaski said. "After about two months I came back home and played a few of my friends, who usually give me a really hard time, and I absolutely whipped them off the court.
"She's helped me get my confidence back and got me to attack more."
Musgrave is also glowing in her praise of her protege.
"She's probably one of the hardest workers I've ever seen, especially for her age," Musgrave said. "A lot of girls think it's a bit of fun and don't put so much effort and time into it, but this is what she wants."
On Tuesday Musgrave and Hoynaski will leave Newcastle for Victoria to contest the ITF Traralgon International starting next Friday.
Musgrave won the event in 1994 in the lead-up to her junior Australian Open crown.
Hoynaski has also applied for a wildcard for the ITF Nottinghill International in Melbourne from January 17 to 23 and for the juniors of the Australian Open on January 25.
"She's pretty young to be playing them because they're under-18 events," Musgrave said.
"But she has the highest ITF ranking in the under 18s in Australia in her age group and above [under 15 and 16], so we're hoping that's enough to get her a wildcard if she can't get in on her own ranking.
"I've tried to set her a goal to match or beat what I did, but maybe not this year, because she's only 14 and I was 16, but hopefully by next year she can get me at those."
