Open shapes up as stunner Melbourne young gun on fast track to glory
SHE may still hear the occasional grumble about the size of her tennis bag on the train, but one of Melbourne’s newest Grand Slam competitors, Jaimee Fourlis, is convinced it is worth it.
A lot has changed in recent months for the Victorian. She turned 18, finished Year 12 and obtained entry to the Australian Open and her Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.
One thing hasn’t altered: she still takes public transport to Melbourne Park.
“I’ve got my Ls (learner driver permit), and I’ve probably done eight hours,” she said.
That leaves 112 to go, so Fourlis catches public transport to training every day.
“I end up leaving some of my tennis gear in my locker, but usually I have a bag with all my new clothes, my dirty clothes and take the train every day,” she said.
“You get the looks about the tennis bag: ‘Why is it so big?’ and ‘Why is it in the way?’”
Fourlis has always considered herself a high achiever, and while she travelled extensively this year – including to the French Open after making the second round in her Grand Slam debut at last year’s Australian Open – her studies remained a primary focus.
After her Roland Garros jaunt, Fourlis conceded she was “quite behind”, so she stepped away from the court for three months and hit the books.
“Trying to complete the weekly work, on top of trying to study for a SAC (school assessed coursework), and play tennis as well, it does get quite difficult,” she said.
“It was a hard decision to make but it was the right decision to come back and focus on school.”
So, like many Victorian students, Fourlis rose early on December 15.
“I won the Under 18s naWTA tionals on the Saturday and then the results came out on the following Friday,” she said.
“I ended up waking up at 6.51am. Results came out at 7.
“I tried my best and I’m over the moon. “It was such a goal of mine.” Having turned 18, Fourlis is free to plan her 2018 campaign as she sees fit.
rules state 17-year-old players can play 16 tournaments a year, meaning it was important to pick and choose where and when to compete. Not any more. “I get to play every day – I get to travel for as long as I want without having to come home now,” Fourlis said.
“It will be really tough, but I’ve got nothing to lose and I’ll give it a good old crack.”
Her second consecutive Australian Open berth didn’t come easily – a hard-fought, three-set victory over fellow Melburnian Destanee Aiava, 17, in the under-18 national championships.
But it included a welcome voice that Fourlis has noticed growing over the past year.
“While I was playing I was thinking, ‘you can do this’,” she said. “Over the last 12 months, (that voice) has definitely gotten louder and is getting louder.”
Fourlis knows there is a certain pressure that comes with playing in a home Grand Slam, having been at the centre of the whirlwind last January after her first-round win over Georgian-American Anna Tatashvili, 27.
“At times, it does get overwhelming,” Fourlis said. “But I’m going in there second-lowest ranked player in the draw.
“I train here (Melbourne Park) every day. It’s like my second home.
“I’ve worked hard and I know I’ve done a lot of hours. I’ve got a great team behind me ... I can’t wait to show what I’ve got.”
TRYING TO COMPLETE THE WEEKLY WORK, ON TOP OF TRYING TO STUDY FOR A SAC (SCHOOL ASSESSED COURSEWORK), AND PLAY TENNIS AS WELL, IT DOES GET QUITE DIFFICULT