Australian tennis grand slam champion Sam Stosur has declared it is “only a matter of time” before the nation’s emerging prospects in the sport begin to make statements on the global tour.
In Brisbane to announce the Billie Jean King Cup’s forthcoming qualifying leg against Mexico will be hosted at Pat Rafter Arena, the newly unveiled women’s team captain is adamant Australia’s chances of advancing to the world group finals in November are strong.
Sam Stosur will make her captaincy debut of the Australian women’s team for the forthcoming Billie Jean King Cup qualifying leg against Mexico in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
Arina Rodionova, 34, is the only Australian female player inside the world’s top 100. She is currently ranked 99.
While Australia is No.2 in the Cup’s rankings, they have not triumphed in the format for 50 years. Australia last won the Cup in 1974 – then known as the Federation Cup – and was runner-up to France in 2019 after winning the right to host the final.
But Stosur believes the current crop is only months away from putting themselves in a position to vie with the best in the world.
Six of Australia’s top 10 female players are all aged 25 or younger, with Queensland competitors Olivia Gadecki and Kim Birrell among them and in line to hit peak form in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
Australia’s top women’s tennis players [singles]
- Arina Rodionova [34 years]: No.99
- Storm Hunter [29 years]: No.122
- Astra Sharma [28 years]: No.138
- Olivia Gadecki [21 years]: No.143
- Daria Saville [29 years]: No.148
- Taylah Preston [18 years]: No.153
- Kim Birrell [25 years]: No.159
- Priscilla Hon [25 years]: No.170
- Destanee Aiava [23 years]: No.201
- Talia Gibson [19 years]: No.215
Stosur, the former world No.4, stressed they would soon be competing for more regular spots on the international circuit.
“Honestly, I think it’s about that exposure at the highest level continually week in, week out. When you’re ranked 120 to 200 or so, you get that opportunity in January and tournaments like here, and obviously, at the Australian Open they get a great opportunity,” Stosur said.
“But you’ve got to try and get into more of the tour events where you’re playing the best players all the time, so it’s not a shock when it happens.
“Then you start to realise you can match it with the best in the world. It doesn’t become foreign, it isn’t as big a deal to go and play on a court like this, so I think it’s just the experiences they have to get to.
“I think in months to come hopefully they’ll be able to take that next leap out of that and make the most of their schedule on the main tour.”
While Australia’s singles prospects will take time to develop, Rockhampton product Storm Hunter has set about establishing herself as one of the world’s leading doubles contenders.
The 29-year-old – No.3 on the doubles circuit – is fresh off her triumph at the WTA 1000 in Dubai. In January, she reached the third round of the Australian Open as an individual for the first time.
Stosur said Hunter’s rise was no flash in the pan, having spearheaded Australia’s Cup charge in recent years.
Australian tennis player Storm Hunter.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“She is showing she is one of the best players in the world on the doubles court, but in … the Billie Jean King Cup, she’s really stepped up and led the team really in the last couple of years with her performances in playing singles as well,” Stosur said.
“She’s probably the most experienced playing in this competition … and hopefully, her form can continue in these next couple of weeks by the selection deadline.
“When you’re playing for your country anything can happen, rankings sort of go out the window playing in competitions like this.
“We do have a really good group of players, but obviously, we’d love to see their rankings keep getting higher and higher, which I’m sure in months to come we’ll be able to see that.”
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