Perth teen Taylah Preston is worked up to fulfil a life-long dream and make her Grand Slam main-draw debut on the Australian Open.
Melbourne, Australia, 14 January 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Taylah Preston shouldn’t be feeling flustered about dealing with a seeded opponent in her Grand Slam main-draw debut.
The 18-year-old Aussie is a wildcard entry at Australian Open 2024 and begins her marketing campaign tomorrow in opposition to world No.23 Elina Svitolina, a participant whose poster as soon as adorned her bed room wall.
The 29-year-old Ukrainian is a two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist, a former world No.3 and returning to Melbourne Park for the primary time because the beginning of her daughter, Skai, in 2022.
“It’s robust, however I feel whoever I drew it was going to be a troublesome match,” acknowledged Preston.
“It’s a important draw of a Grand Slam, so everyone seems to be a extremely good participant. However I’m tremendous excited and searching ahead to it.
“Clearly she is tremendous skilled, however hopefully I can achieve extra expertise from it as effectively.”
A former top-10 junior and a three-time winner of the Feminine Junior Athlete of the 12 months on the Australian Tennis Awards, Preston made a formidable transition to the skilled ranks in 2023.
The Perth expertise received 4 ITF singles titles and improved her rating greater than 600 locations.
The world No.203 proved she will problem the world’s greatest as a wildcard ultimately week’s Adelaide Worldwide, the place she prolonged Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia to 3 units within the opening spherical.
Though the world No.20 finally triumphed 6-4 1-6 6-3, Preston believes the expertise gained will show invaluable in opposition to Svitolina.
“That match actually gave me a little bit of a confidence increase,” Preston stated.
“I feel that match actually set me up effectively when it comes to kind of seeing the extent of high 20, in addition to realizing that if I can play my greatest tennis that it may maintain up in opposition to them.”
The fearless teen is hoping the group will even be on her facet when she meets Svitolina at 1573 Enviornment on Monday morning.
“I feel the AO is tremendous distinctive in that the followers actually get behind the Aussies, so I’m actually trying ahead to that,” she stated.
“However regardless of how many individuals are there, it’s simply going to be a tremendous match to play.
“My dream has all the time been to play within the Australian Open.”
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