You get better by playing tougher competition.

In the north, however, you compete when you can, against whomever you can.

Luckily for five Tennis Yukon juniors, Anchorage offers that tough competition, and just as importantly, is accessible.

Kieran Halliday, Khang Pham, Roan Evans-Ehricht, Trygg Jensen and Alex Roberts travelled this past weekend to Alaska's biggest centre to compete in the 2011 Mayor's Cup Junior Tennis Tournament, hosted by the Alaska Club North.

Going from indoor training on gym floors to playing in a tournament against major players is like going from zero to 60.

But Tennis Yukon coach Jan Polivka said that's exactly what his juniors need to improve.

"We haven't really got much challenge here. The closest place that we can go play is Vancouver or, I guess, Anchorage.

"But we are trying to give them as many matches as we can, especially during the summer, with the local adults,” Polivka said.

Halliday competed in the boys 18 and 16 singles draws.

The 15-year-old lost his first round match in the 18s draw 6-0, 6-2 before going on to win the 18s consolation final by defeating Anchorage's Christopher Rush 8-2 in an eight-game pro set.

In the 16s draw, Halliday won his first match 6-1, 6-3, but was defeated in the next round by No. 1-seeded Eddie Lewis of Anchorage in the quarter-finals 6-0, 6-4.

Pham also played in the boys 18s and 16s singles draws.

The 15-year-old won his opening match in the 18s draw 6-3, 6-3, but lost in the next round to No. 1-seeded John Hendrickson 6-2, 6-2.

In the 16s draw, Pham lost his first round match 6-3, 6-4, followed by a loss in the consolation semi-final 8-2 to Anchorage's Cole Fox.

Evans-Ehricht, 14, competed in the boys 16s and 14s singles draw.

In the 14s draw, he won his first match 6-2, 6-4, and lost in the next round to No. 3-seeded Joseph Hemry 6-3, 6-0.

In the 16s draw, Evans-Ehricht had a bye into the second round but was defeated 6-0, 6-0 by Anchorage's Jayden Hodgson, ranked No. 1.

In the 16s consolation draw, he too was defeated by Fox, 8-0.

Jensen played in the boys 14s singles draw, winning his first round match 6-0, 6-1, but falling to Hodgson 7-5, 6-2 in the next round.

Jensen thought he opened the tournament strongly.

"The first match when we got there I just played really good; I hit the ball good and was really consistent,” said the 13-year-old, who is in his first season.

"It wasn't intimidating for me, because I just started playing tennis so I didn't have that high expectation.”

Roberts played in the boys 12s singles round robin (eight game pro set), and was defeated 8-0 by Ben Westwick, 8-1 by Eli Neslund and 8-1 by Hemry.

Roberts was one game up in his match against Nicholas Alvord when Alvord retired due to injury.

"I think I did pretty good,” Roberts said. "The people at Anchorage, they're really good too; a challenge for me, but I think I did well.”

Jensen and Roberts teamed up to play in the boys 14s doubles draw, winning their first-round match 6-2, 7-5 to play Hemry and Neslund in the finals.

The Yukoners finished as runners up after losing the finals with a match score of 6-1, 6-3.

"It was a bigger experience for most of them in a bigger tournament with way better players,” Polivka said. "We basically travelled before just to Juneau. I'm satisfied with how it went.”

The Tennis Yukon contingent was fresh off their Capital Cup success in Juneau two weeks ago.

"Juneau doesn't have as many juniors at that high level,” Polivka added. "In Anchorage, each age category had four or five really, really good players.”

Both Jensen and Roberts agreed.

"I think they're a bit better,” Roberts said. "I've heard that they (Anchorage) play quite a bit more than them (Juneau) and us; a higher level, definitely.

"It is kind of difficult sometimes but always fun. It's really fun out there. It's a challenge, but it's really fun.”

Jensen added, "The players were a lot better there, so it was really hard to keep the pace, playing with them.”

Polivka coached in the Czech Republic prior to coaching in Whitehorse just over three years ago, and has even coached juniors and adults that made the ATP pro circuit.

He said the skill level in Anchorage is comparable.

"I would say it was very close to that in Anchorage,” Polivka said.

"Seeing those kids on the court from Anchorage, it gave me a totally new idea for what to work on, because even those under 12s had a whole spectrum of shots.

They were just great; they knew everything.

"And I still believe that we will get to the same level here as them.”