WAIS Individual Athlete Support Program athlete Casey Dellacqua has been unable to repeat her 2008 Australian Open heroics, going down in the first round of the 2009 tournament to Daniela Hantuchova.
Dellacqua, who last year burst onto the international tennis scene with a run into the fourth round, lost to the number 19 seed in straight sets 7-6, 6-4 and will now focus on her doubles campaign with Italian Francesca Schiavone.
A disappointed Dellacqua recoginised that missed opportunities cost her the scalp of the former Australian Open semi-finalist.
“Yeah, I had a lot of opportunities in that match,” Dellacqua said after the match.
“I didn’t consolidate when I had set points in that first set, and points to go back to 5‑All in the second…I guess (it was) just disappointing I didn’t consolidate on those points. I mean, that can change the match. Obviously if I got that first set, even get back in the second, you just never know. “
The West Australian began the match on Rod Laver Arena well, breaking the Slovakian in the opening game of the first set before Hantuchova returned the favour on Dellacqua’s serve. Both players struggled to hold serve through the first set, with the opening stanza eventually being decided in a tie break.
Dellacqua had her chances to take the set during the tie break, holding numerous set points, but was unable to convert and Hantuchova took the advantage to seal the set with a 13-11 tie break win.
Coming out of the tight tie break Dellacqua looked deflated, losing her opening service match of the second set. It was all Hantuchova needed to open up a 5-3 lead and the opportunity to serve for the match.
It didn’t go all the Slovakian’s way however with the West Australian fighting back to earn three break points. Hantuchova then used all her experience to deny Dellacqua the chance to break back, saving the three break points before going on to secure the match with a 6-4 second set win in just under two hours.
Despite the loss Dellacqua remains upbeat about the prospect of continuing the progress she made in 2008 this year.
“Last year was kind of a steppingstone for me just in terms of experiencing (the tour)… I played a full calendar year and consistently had great results throughout the year,” she said.
“I think 2008 was just a real learning, steppingstone for me. This year I feel like I’m a lot more mature and I know what to expect, I guess.
Yeah, I think 2009 is going to be really successful.”
