EBDEN PLEDGES: NO MORE NE AR MISSES Aussie No. 2 to step up
GOING close isn’t enough for Australian Matt Ebden who has declared he is ready to take the next step – starting at his home grand slam next week.
The 30- year- old fell in three sets to world No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta in the final of the Kooyong Classic yesterday, 7- 6 ( 6) 4- 6 2- 6 in difficult conditions.
Ebden – who on Wednesday dismissed sixth- ranked Croatian Marin Cilic 6- 7 ( 3) 6- 4 7- 5 – had broken the emerging Spaniard’s serve in the opening game of the second set and saved three match points, later conceding that he “should have won in straight sets”.
And taking such chances is now a non- negotiable.
“The first day I won and ( on Thursday against Richard Gasquet) I had chances to win and today I was right there to win that one too,” Ebden said.
“I’m obviously playing a pretty good level. It’d be nice to maintain that just a little bit more. Hopefully now that the work and the preparations are done, that will come in the coming weeks and months.”
He will meet big- serving American John Isner in the first round of the Australian Open and said his immediate thought in drawing the tournament’s 16th seed was that “I probably owe him one” after falling short in their last three meetings.
Ebden has played on the tour for a decade and said the time for “taking heart” from narrow losses is over.
As Australia’s secondranked male player, he said he wants to use his experience to his advantage.
“To take heart ( from results) – maybe when I was starting out, but I’ve won these sort of matches a few times,” Ebden said.
“The level was there … today, too. I probably should have won that in straight sets but I started rushing.
“He played some good shots. It’s a matter of just making sure of a couple of little things when the scores are whatever they are.
“I’m always trying to get better and do the best I can and become the best I can be.
“I’ve been on tour a few years now so I don’t feel older but I can use those years of experience and maturity to step across the line a bit more. I’ve been playing at a really high level for a long time now … these guys are all top 10.
“No one’s going to give you it and you can’t take anything for granted. I’m enjoying the challenges and there’s definitely going to be opportunity ahead.”
Carreno Busta enjoyed a breakout year in 2017 and said the victory provided the “perfect” platform for the Australian Open.
“Last season was the best of my career,” the Spaniard said.
“I’ll try to improve my tennis and improve my level, because I think that I can.
“( The win over Ebden) was very good ... I think it’s the best preparation for the Australian Open. I was one set and a break down in both matches, so I think for me it was perfect. I continued fighting all the time. I think it was a very competitive match and I think that’s the most important thing.
“It was windy, rain, sunny. I think the Melbourne summer is crazy. But we are here, so I tried to acclimatise as soon as possible.”
Carreno Busta will play Australian wildcard Jason Kubler in the opening round of the year’s first grand slam.
“I know him, because he was practising in Barcelona sometimes,” he said.
“We’ll see. I’ll try to play my tennis, to be very aggressive and dominate the court.”