AN AMBITIOUS tennis player with hopes of turning professional has aced his GCSEs.

Over the past two years, talented Joshua Taylor has been balancing preparation for his exams with playing in tournaments across the country.

But the juggling of responsibilities did not pose a problem for the 16-year-old Bury Grammar School pupil, from Ainsworth – he achieved five A*s and five As in his GCSEs.

Joshua, who hopes to go to university in America in 2018 after finishing his A-levels, said: “I was really pleased with my grades.

“I was hoping for As and Bs and wasn’t expecting this much.

“It was a really weird feeling. I’ve been so nervous all week waiting to open them, and now the moment has come.”

Joshua has been a talent on the national tennis circuit since his early teens.

When he was aged 14, the starlet narrowly missed out on a place in the junior competition at Wimbledon.

More recently, Joshua has been invited to a training camp at the National Tennis Centre.

He added: “My end goal is to become a professional player on the ATP tour.

“In the US, there is a lot more focus on sport in education, and going to an American college would be a good stepping stone.

“The teachers at Bury Grammar have been great.

“There have been times when they have been really lenient when I have been travelling for tennis and I’m pleased that their support has allowed me to get such great results.”