Raiti, who has accreditation with Tennis Australia, said it was always his aim to return home to Mildura after spending four and half years in America playing college tennis.

“If I could ever get this job one day that would be perfect and it’s happened a lot sooner than I thought,” Raiti said.

The 24-year-old moved to Melbourne when he was 15 to pursue his tennis ambitions where he became a student of the VIDA Tennis Academy.

After completing his VCE at Xavier College, Raiti secured a NCAA scholarship to play tennis in America.

Raiti said he will bring a professional approach to the role, but would also be able to accommodate the serious and less-serious players.

“Hopefully we can do a good job and bring the profile of the club up especially, get some people through the doors and get membership up as well,” he said.

“It’s just not all about me and the coaching, it’s about raising the awareness of the club and get more people down here.”

Raiti spent two summers coaching in America, which he said would be beneficial to his new role.

“We want to facilitate some fun and fitness, also if there’s some juniors who are showing some potential and talent to get them though to high level juniors and a to a career in tennis,” he said.

“They’re doing a lot more stuff now getting the younger people in, they get a lot of juniors and a lot of 35-plus, but we need to get that middle aged group.

“In that you’ve got your serious players, the not so serious players and the players who want to develop so they can play a little better on a Saturday.”

The club will be running a meet-the-coach day this Saturday with local tennis-goers encouraged to get down to the Mildura Lawn Tennis Club.

Anyone wishing to find out more information about the weekend’s events, contact Raiti on 0408 149 252.

This article appeared in Friday's Sunraysia Daily 3-2-2012.