The European Tennis Federation and Online Education Partner Minerva’s Virtual Academy have teamed up to offer a full three-year scholarship worth €23,000 to one of the Junior Tour’s most promising players.
Chosen following a selection process that invited applications from the 48 active member nations of Tennis Europe, Andrei Radu will commence his studies with Minerva in September in Year 9 and will study for his IGCSEs in Year 10 and 11.
14 years of age, Radu is a model candidate for the online education system. Travelling extensively around Europe as he attempts to build upon his current Top 50 ranking, he recently represented his country at the European Junior Championships in Czech Republic. In recent weeks he has played events in his home country, in Bulgaria and in Italy, and is currently competing at the Super Category tournament in Düren, Germany.
Radu, whose favourite subjects are English and History, commented, “I’m really excited, very happy. This is a great opportunity for me and gives me much more flexibility. Time is my biggest challenge, getting from courts to school and vice versa. This will give me much more time to study as I can simply hop online!”
Tennis Europe CEO Thomas Hammerl commented, “Through our partnership with Minerva we have been showing that quality alternative schooling systems exist for elite young athletes, which can complement their heavy training schedules and ensure that they do not miss out on vital education. We are delighted to offer this opportunity to Andrei, who is a promising young man both on and off the court, and we look forward to following his progress over the next three years.”
Minerva's Virtual Academy Elite Athlete Education Officer Fabian Spiess said, "We're delighted to be able to offer this scholarship to Andrei and have him join our valuable elite athlete community at MVA. We know that a flexible education is essential for Andrei to help him take the next step in his tennis career but also academically. Giving him flexibility around his education for the next 3 years, will hopefully see Andrei get one step closer to achieving his dream without compromising on what are also essential years for him in the classroom.
We're really looking forward to following Andrei's progress and seeing where this next step can take him."
