One step at a time for Feldbausch after 2022 AO juniors heartbreak
Kilian Feldbausch is 17-years-old, fluent in English and talks (and plays) a very good game.
Out on court 13 in Melbourne on the first afternoon of this year’s Australian Open Junior Championships - it was noisy, with "people moving around constantly", an observation and not a complaint he said - he already had the bearing as well as the seeding of a No. 1.
“I didn’t serve very well today,” he said despite a 6-1 6-3 win over Australian Thomas Gadecki.
The wind, perhaps? It was gusty after all.
“No, it was ball toss not the wind," he said, avoiding excuses. "I just didn’t serve well.”
A beaten junior semi-finalist at the Australian Open last year, this next week will be very much one match at a time after the heartbreak of defeat here 12 months ago that meant he didn’t get to play the final on Rod Laver Arena.
“I’m not thinking ahead because of that,” he said.
Being Swiss, the Roger Federer question can’t be avoided. So has Kilian hit with any big names?
“With Roger, twice, in Switzerland.”
And how did he feel afterwards?
An uplift of the shoulders and eyebrows says everything. “It makes you feel good, it gives you confidence.”
His triumph was largely routine, Gadecki having some fine moments but was outgunned from the off. There was some celebrity support as consolation, fellow Queenslander John Millman dropped by post practice and sat with a white towel draped over his head for much of the first set. It was hot and court 13, packed with about 400 people, is in full sun.
Not that Feldbausch was bothered. Safely into round two, he will be the junior boy to beat this tournament.
Earlier, on a more shaded adjoining court, Kaylan Bigun, a 16-year-old American left hander from Atlanta who sits at a career-high junior ranking of 43 was playing against the 15th seed from Bulgaria, Adrianao Dzhenev.
Dzhenev is a year older and ranked 27. His Instagram page says: #1, #believe, Professional tennis player and, in caps, GOD IS GOOD.
There were 50 people at 11.30am on Court 8 but word of a first-rate clash got about, with 400 or so people present two hours and 19 minutes later when Dzhenev came off court victorious, 10-7 in a final tiebreak.
Three small children sporting a Bulgarian flag approached him to sign an autograph and giant fluffy yellow ball and he obliged immediately.
He was in a good mood, running to the net after volleying the final winner and punching the air in the manner of Rafael Nadal winning the Australian Open. He may not win this Juniors tournament but Dzhenev is one to look out for most certainly. He has that undefinable star quality.
Elsewhere, there was a late afternoon win for Vit Kalina over Australian Open debutant Hugh Winter at a busy court 12, while No. 3 seed, Belgium’s Alexander Blockx was true to his name, moving straight through round one after dropping just three games to Italy’s Federico Bondioli.
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