Australian Priscilla Hon’s dedication has been a key to her development to the ultimate qualifying spherical at Australian Open 2024.
Melbourne, Australia, 10 January 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Taking part in with out expectations is serving Priscilla Hon nicely on this 12 months’s Australian Open girls’s qualifying singles competitors.
The world No.206 has progressed to the ultimate qualifying spherical, a stage she final reached at her residence Grand Slam in 2018.
“It’s been some time, so it feels nice,” Hon mentioned after scoring a hard-fought 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory in opposition to world No.139 Dalma Galfi within the second spherical.
It places the 25-year-old from Brisbane inside one win of incomes a coveted main-draw spot.
Standing in her method is world No.144 Maria Timofeeva, a 20-year-old competing on the Australian Open for the primary time.
They’ll contest their remaining qualifying match at Melbourne Park on Friday.
“Clearly I’d be tremendous completely satisfied,” Hon mentioned about probably qualifying.
“However I don’t wish to actually take into consideration that proper now. There’s expectations on a regular basis and I form of put stress on myself, so I simply wish to go on the market and play every level.
“If I win, then nice. But when not, then no less than I’ve given it a very good shot.”
> READ: Hon’s heart-warming gesture for late coach
Hon is already defying expectations, contemplating lower than a month in the past she was hospitalised with extreme appendix ache.
“It got here out of nowhere,” Hon associated.
“I used to be really on the way in which all the way down to Sydney for a shoot on a Tuesday afternoon after I began feeling it. The subsequent day I did the shoot all day after which it was nonetheless actually hurting. That evening I flew again to Brisbane and went to the hospital however couldn’t get a take a look at, so went again the following day after coaching.
“My appendix didn’t burst, however I needed to spend two nights within the hospital. They gave me antibiotics and put me on a drip.”
After avoiding surgical procedure, Hon is thrilled to be again on court docket for the Australian summer season of tennis.
“I’m by some means okay now,” she mentioned. “I’ll in all probability need to get it out (her appendix) in some unspecified time in the future, however hopefully not anytime quickly.”
The perseverant Hon was amongst 9 Australian girls to win their opening-round qualifying matches this week, essentially the most to take action in 36 years.
> READ: Aussie girls rewriting historical past in Australian Open qualifying
She is the primary Aussie into the ultimate spherical and hopes extra compatriots will quickly be part of her there.
“I really feel like many of the Aussies are profitable. It’s actually nice to see,” she mentioned of the host nation’s excellent outcomes up to now this week.
Tickets to attend Australian Open qualifying are simply $5 for youths and $10 for adults. Followers will even be capable of see a few of the world’s top-ranked gamers compete in observe matches at Melbourne Park.
> BUY NOW: Australian Open 2024 tickets
Discover your option to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on court docket and have some enjoyable!