Birrell set for crack at pro tour

GOLD Coaster Kimberly Birrell starts her first full season on the pro tennis tour with a tough assignment.

The injury plagued 19-yearold, who honed her game at her parents’ Queens Park Tennis Centre in Southport, is against Estonia’s 2017 US Open quarter-finalist Kaia Kanepi in Brisbane International qualifying this morning.

But she can mix it with the best. Two years ago, she matched Czech world number four Karolina Pliskova in the Australian Open first round, losing 4-6 4-6.

“To go 6-4 6-4 and have opportunities in the second set – I broke her first service game – I still think about that match all the time. I draw confidence from that.”

Since then, her career has been hampered by an elbow injury but after surgery and rehab – including summer training sessions with Aussie star Sam Stosur – she’s 100 per cent for 2018.

“I’m excited to be on tour for the whole year – my first time. It’s great to have opportunities at the big tournaments like the Brisbane International. It makes you hungry when you go play the lower tournaments to get yourself back to play these all the time.”