Christian stands tall despite defeat

CHRISTIAN Didier Chin’s run in the boys’ singles at the Australian Open Junior Championships came to an end in the second round yesterday.

The Sabahan showed great fighting spirit in the first set but eventually went down 7-5, 6-2 to Poland’s big-serving Wojciech Marek at Melbourne Park.

Christian said he was hampered by nerves in the opening set but maintained a positive outlook.

The Australian Open is his junior Grand Slam debut.

“I was nervous in the first set, he (Marek) is a big guy with a big serve,” said the 17-year-old Malaysian.

“My serve and volley game, however, was good and I was really mixing it up on the serve. He was serving for the set at 5-4 but I managed to break back.

“It was a bit unfortunate as I felt I could have won the match if I had closed out the first set.

“It would have eased some pressure on me. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

“My shoulder was a little tight in the second set and it was hard for me to put a lot of balls back into play.”

He, however, still has the doubles to look forward to.

Christian and partner Siddhant Banthia of India will play Sebastian Korda of the Unites and Nicholas Mejia Colombia in the second round today.

“I am still looking forward to the doubles and I am going to stay positive.

“I am going to take what ever experience I get right now. You cannot buy experience, you have to earn it,” Christian added

Christian-Siddhant defeated Adrian Andreev of Bulgaria and Lodewijk Weststrate of the Netherlands in the first round on Sunday. Fadhli Ishak