WAIS individual scholarship holder, Casey Dellacqua has made a fine start to her 2008 Wimbledon campaign after first round wins in both her single and doubles matches.
The 23 year-old sparked an upset at the All England Club after she dismantled 12th seed Patty Schnyder 6-4 3-6 6-1 to set up a second round tie against French debutant Pauline Parmentier.
Dellacqua has enjoyed a strong year on the WTA tour and has reached a career high ranking of 42. She was happy to have the first win under her belt, after a first round exit in 2007.
“I kind of felt like I started off ok and was able to just clinch that first set,” Dellacqua explained.
“The second set got off to a really bad start and I was 4-0 down before I knew it.
“At the beginning of the third I kind of heard Nicole Pratt in the crowd just say: ‘Just enjoy yourself … c’mon Case’.
“I think that made me really relax and then I was just really able to, I guess, back myself, believe in myself, have fun and come out with a win.”
Dellacqua has no intention of letting her form slip against a largely unheralded second round opponent in Parmentier, having beaten her the only time the pair have meet previously.
“When I get out there I’m going to believe I can beat her for sure,” Dellacqua said.
Dellacqua continued her strong Grand Slam doubles form at Wimbledon teaming up with France’s Nathalie Dechy to defeat British duo, Anna Fitzpatrick and Anna Hawkins 6-1 6-0.
Dellacqua reached the final of the recent French Open with Italian Francesca Schiavone and will now meet fellow Australian Alicia Molik and Mara Santangelo of Italy or the Ukraine, Poland combination of Tatiana Perebiynis and Alicja Rosolska.
