Resilient Kubler’s fighting fit at last

QUIZZED on what would satisfy him by tennis career’s end, Jason Kubler’s face creased, then he sat back and paused.

“That’s actually a really tough one,” he said. “I haven’t been asked that before.”

For context, the 28-year-old was a world junior No.1 but at one stage, in his mid-20s, he exhausted all bar 14 cents of his savings after repeated injuries, mostly to his knees. His determination to keep going won him a bunch of matches in 2014 to be on the verge of the top 100, but soon enough his ranking was back in four digits.

It wasn’t until 2018 that Kubler (pictured) made another splash, winning a Challenger title, qualifying for Wimbledon and gatecrashing the world’s top 100 before also playing at the US Open.

But, as of this week, Kubler hasn’t boasted a doubledigit ranking in more than three years. Guess why? Injuries.

The latest was right elbow surgery in August last year, before he contracted Covid-19 while training in Florida.

He ended his season in early November to return home but has worked hard in recent weeks with Jason Stoltenberg at Melbourne Park and Albert Park. He’s fit again, his body feels good and he’s ready to make his mark, albeit as the world’s 204th-best player.

Kubler still believes a longawaited consistent run can propel him back inside the elite bracket, but he knows there’s a lot of work ahead. Returning to the original question, he doesn’t want to gauge his success purely on rankings or results.

“I feel if I think too much about it, I’ll think too much about the possibilities,” he said. “So I think at the end, when I’m done and I’ve given it everything I’ve got, I can look back and go, ‘What a ride’.”