One of the most dominant reigns in AIC sports history will be on the line this season as a sporting blueblood leads the challengers for St Peter’s Lutheran College’s tennis crown.

St Peter’s has won the last five First IV championships as part of a tennis program that last season also yielded the 11A, 10A and 9A premierships.

But rival schools are ready for the challenge including Padua College led by teenage star Casey Hoole.

The Year 11 student shook hands with Roger Federer a few years ago when he was chosen to toss the coin before an Australian Open semi-final.

Federer told the young man that day his memories of playing Hoole’s uncle Scott Draper – an outstanding Australian player who had seven match points against Federer that day only to fall in a marathon tiebreaker.

Hoole didn’t begin formal tennis lessons until he was aged 10 but a lifetime knocking around tennis courts helped fast-track the skills that have him ranked among the top junior players in the country.

But the AIC crown is decided on more than individual stars meaning the four players representing each school must play a singles and doubles match to provide a true team outcome.

Padua, buoyed by a 5-3 win over St Laurence’s College in a trial round last weekend, will field three Year 11 students and a Year 9 student when they host Iona College in tomorrow’s first round.

Padua will meet St Peter’s in round three in one of the most anticipated clashes of the season.

St Peter’s begins its title defence tomorrow against Marist College Ashgrove. In other matches,

St Laurence’s College will take on St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe while Villanova College meets St Edmund’s College.