Proud dad says Birrell will shine
THE father and longtime coach of rising Gold Coast tennis star Kimberly Birrell says the Australian public are going to find it easy to like her and she’ll be good for the sport.
In a week marred by infighting among the Australian male ranks, Birrell is having a breakthrough summer.
She won the Australian women’s wildcard playoff to book her place in the Australian Open main draw and is making the most of it.
Her father John, who runs Southport’s Queen’s Park Tennis Centre with wife Ros, was courtside for her stirring second-round upset yesterday, telling the Bulletin afterwards: “It will be a good thing for Australian tennis. Everyone seems to like her.
“I’m so ecstatic for her. She has worked so hard and she is such a good kid. She deserves this.”
He paid tribute to her cocoaches Chris Mahoney and Brett Hunter and said he believed there would be more upside for his daughter on tour as the year went on, win or lose against world No.2 Angelique Kerber tomorrow.
“There are going to be exciting things coming for her throughout the year. It has set her up for a really good 2019.”
Mr Birrell said his daughter’s upset wins over two top 50 players in the past fortnight had been crucial to yesterday’s victory. “That’s why she is where she is now. She has had such a confidence boost. She’s been given opportunities and she has taken them with both hands.”
He was excited about the Kerber match-up: “This is what she wants to do … and I’m looking forward to seeing how she handles it.”