mtenis.com.pl

OMAR Jasika will feature in the Australian Open for the second year running after pulling off one of the wildcard playoff week’s biggest turnarounds.

Jasika, 19, overcame fifth seed John-Patrick Smith 6-7 (7-2) 6-2 6-0 6-4 in Sunday’s final at Melbourne Park – but he’s the first to admit that he almost wasn’t even there.

In Monday’s first-round clash with fellow Melburnian Marinko Matosevic, the young gun found himself two sets and a break down and conceding to himself that his week and prime chance at a main draw singles spot might be over.

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“I was a little bit nervous (in that first-round match) ... to be honest in my head I was thinking I’d lost already,” Jasika said.

“After being two sets to love down and a break I was thinking, you know, ‘that’s OK, there’s next time’.

“But I found a way to win that and I started to get better and better and mentally stronger. I guess it gave me some confidence.”



Jasika served for the first set on Sunday before falling well short of Smith in a tie-break, his frustrations boiling over and resulting in 10 seconds of racquet-smashing and a one-point penalty.

But, like Melbourne Victory match-winner Besart Berisha did across the road the night before, the release helped Jasika to refocus.

He won the next two sets in style with a run that at one point included 10 straight games.

“I was trying to keep my cool as much as I could, but I had that set point (and lost it),” the left-hander said.

“I released a bit of anger and got that point penalty – I wasn’t thinking straight and I lost that. I was very happy not to get any more penalties after that.”

The local hope made it to the second round of last year’s tournament after he was awarded a wildcard – four of which remain up for grabs - before he was defeated by French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.


This year has been a great learning experience, he said, but now he feels like he truly belongs at his local edition of the year’s four majors, staged just up the road from his Oakleigh home.

“I feel stronger and fitter (physically) and also mentally,” he said.

“I’ve been on the tour for a little bit longer and I’ve picked up a lot of stuff from the bigger players and I’ve had a talk to a few of them.

“I’ve learned a lot over the last few months and I feel like I’m going to have continued success.

“Whoever I play (at the Australian Open), I’m going to enjoy (it).”

It was a day to remember for the Jasika family, with Omar’s younger brother Amor winning the 12 and under Australian Championships at Melbourne Park.

“I watched him, which was good,” Jasika said.

“It was a good day for my dad and mum – they’re pretty happy about the boys winning.”

AUSTRALIAN OPEN WILDCARD PLAY-OFFS

Women’s final

3-Jaimee Fourlis (VIC) d Abbie Myers (NSW) 7-6 (8-6) 7-5

Men’s final

Omar Jasika (VIC) d 5-John-Patrick Smith (QLD) 6-7 (7-2) 6-2 6-0 6-4