The 17-year-old — whose world under-18 singles ranking is at 140 — takes up a full four-year tennis scholarship at the University of Mississippi (also known as ‘Ole Miss’) in the United States, from January.
He’ll also study finance.
Kai was courted by about 20 US colleges and, along with his dad and coach, Mark, visited both Ole Miss and a Nebraska uni before making their final choice.
"I really like the coach and the players and the environment they’ve built up, I think it would suit me," Kai says.
"It’s going to be full-on, but I’m really excited to join the team and have other great players to train with.
"They’ve had quite a few NZers go through the school [like doubles specialist Finn Reynolds]."
Mark says the standard of the training facilities at US colleges, along with the money they pour into student athletes, is mind-boggling.
Kai, who back in July was honoured with a wildcard entry into a Futures tournament in Japan, hopes to make his first junior grand slam appearance in January at the Aussie Open before heading to the US.
Meanwhile, Kai’s brother Dan continues his impressive progress in the sport.
The 16-year-old’s highlight this year was his performance in the NZ Junior Davis Cup team in Kazakhstan which finished ninth out of 16 teams.
After losing his first singles, Dan won his other four and all five doubles matches.
Youngest brother Noa, 14, recently returned triumphant from Team Europe U14 tournaments — two each in Austria, the Netherlands and Germany.
Among his singles matches he beat Italy’s no.1-ranked U14 player and narrowly lost to Germany’s no.1, and he and Alvin Na, of Canterbury, only lost one doubles match the whole time.
Towards year’s end he will be playing the prestigious Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl international junior tourneys in the US.
Mark suspects his sons are Queenstown’s most-travelled teens — "I never left the country till I was 26".
"They’ve been all over the world and that’s going to continue, probably."
