Open rookies shining
Toowoomba win adds to Hives’ climb
Toowoomba’s contribution to Australia’s tennis talent nursery is on show at the 2019 Australian Open this week in Melbourne.
Australian players made a bright start to the Grand Slam tournament on Monday with eight Aussie first-round wins on the board.
The day-one winners’ lists included reigning Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba International women’s champion Zoe Hives.
Hives made a memorable Grand Slam debut with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Other Australian women to move into round two included 2017 Toowoomba International women’s runner-up Astra Sharma, and Toowoomba tournament player Kimberly Birrell.
Sharma eliminated another Toowoomba International supporter and fellow Australian Priscilla Hon on Monday.
Twenty-two-year-old Hives, from Ballarat, was on the comeback from injury when she hit top form in her 6-0, 6-2 Toowoomba final win over Ellen Perez in October.
Hives’ Toowoomba success helped pave the way for her wildcard entry into the Australian Open where she carried a world ranking of 225 following her injury-marred year on tour.
Toowoomba Tennis Association president Allen Smythe said the achievements of Hives, Sharma and Birrell underlined the benefits of events
such as the Toowoomba International and the quality of players who targeted the Garden City tournament each year.
“It’s great to see the worth of Pro Tour series events like Toowoomba having such a big impact on the development of our young players,” Smythe said.
“The international ranking points Zoe picked up in her Toowoomba win count towards gaining wildcard entries or qualifying spots in these major tournaments.
“A lot of the girls in particular who play the Toowoomba International are around that 200 world mark and it’s a great stepping stone for them.
“We wish the girls the best for the rest of the tournament and I know we’ll be cheering for them.”