BLAISE Bicknell is expected to become the second Jamaican to play in the prestigious United States (US) Open Junior Tennis Championship to be held from September 2-9 at Flushing Meadows in New York.

The senior edition of the championship is set to feature the likes of several of highly world-ranked players in the calibre of Rodger Federer from Switzerland, Rafael Nadal (Spain), Andy Murray (Great Britain), Novak Djokovic (Serbia) on the men’s side.

Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic), Venus Williams (USA), Simona Halep (Romania), Angelique Kerber (Germany), Garbine Muguruza of Spain, and many more top-rated women’s players are expected to be in action from August 28 to September 10. Those players came through the junior ranks and now star in the sport.

German-born Dustin Brown, who has a Jamaican father has played at the US Open Tennis Junior Championship in 2010, though he represented Germany.

The 15-year-old Bicknell, who is ranked number 388 in the world on the Junior Tennis Circuit for Boys 18 and under, said he is very excited and very happy for the opportunity.

“It was one of my greatest dreams that I was always looking forward to it, and that one day I will be playing at the US Open Junior Tennis Championships,” Bicknell said.

He said the feeling is very great knowing he will be playing against the best-ranked junior players in the world at one of its four Grand Slam Circuits.

There are four big competitions for junior world-ranked players to qualify or gaining a wild card to play in the Grand Slams each year — the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon Open and the US Open.

Then, there is the big Rosebowl Junior Championships held each year in Miami, Florida, where the top world-ranked junior players come together to challenge for this prestigious grand award for 18 and under boys and girls.

Bicknell is currently being trained by Mel Spence Jr — the son of Spence Sr, who represented Jamaica in athletics competition in the 400 metres and the 4x400m relay in the 1960 Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.

He will be journeying with Bicknell to train with players of the US team next week. They are also preparing to participate in the US Open Tennis Championships.

Coach Spence said Bicknell will be playing in the qualifying round of the boys 18 and under singles to gain a place in the main draw.

“I am very proud of Bicknell as at young as only 15-years-old got the opportunity to play in the US Open Boys Championships qualifier, and it is also a great feeling, as it is also a very good start for him,” Spence Jr said.

He said Bicknell has two more years left in the juniors, and if he continues on this course and increased his rankings by picking up points at several junior tournaments, he won’t have to go through the qualifying rounds next time.

“Bicknell is a fine player, and works very hard, and a gritty player and he showed it in his last tournament at the Dominican Republic Junior 18 and under finals. I think he is going to be a very top-class junior player within the next two years,”

The Jamaican will next play in the ITF St Vincent and The Grenadines Juniors Tennis Tournament Grade 5 tournament to be played from August 14- 18 in St Vincent. Bicknell will however try to retain his Boys 18 and Under singles title he won last year in order to pick up points to increase his junior world ranking.