JP Smith will miss Aus Open playoffs
TOWNSVILLE’S J ohn- Patrick Smith has withdrawn from this week’s Australian Open men’s playoff tournament.
Smith, who is back home in Townsville for training, reached the final of last year’s playoff tournament but fell at the last hurdle to Victoria’s Omar Jasika.
Smith has already been drawn for the Australian Open men’s doubles with American Nicholas Monroe, the same player he partnered in his run to the quarterfinals of this year’s US Open.
Smith’s Australian summer will instead start with the Brisbane International starting January 1. Other earlier withdraws from the playoffs tournaments included Sam Groth, Max Purcell and Jason Kubler.
“I think JP is hedging his bets and instead preparing for the year with a good couple of weeks’ training,” Tennis Townsville head coach Wayne Hannah said, who is running Smith through his Townsville training sessions.
“This is his preparation for the whole year; when he plays matches he can’t work on the things he wants to.
“What happened this time last year is he split his training program, so he only got 10 days of preparation in.
“This time he wants to get it right.”
Smith may still compete for an Australian Open men’s single wildcard, with another playoff tournament to be held a week out from the annual tournament.