Brisbane, Australia, 4 November 2022 | Leigh Rogers
After two injury-interrupted years, Mia Repac is starting to make her mark in skilled tennis.
The 18-year-old from New South Wales has made three ITF quarterfinals and received 15 of her 25 matches since July. This has helped Repac achieve her first WTA rating factors.
In our sequence profiling Tennis Australia’s Nationwide Tennis Academy athletes, Repac displays on her largest influences and the vital classes she has discovered thus far in her younger profession …
Are you able to inform us about your begin in tennis?
I used to be six once I began taking part in and it was due to my dad. He used to play together with his mates in our hometown of Wollongong. I used to go and watch and cry on the umpire chair asking to play, so he determined to place me into Saturday morning squads only for enjoyable and I’ve superior from there.
What do you get pleasure from about tennis?
I simply love competing and dealing onerous. It’s actually enjoyable. I like assembly lots of people and attending to journey to completely different locations all over the world too.
How a lot journey have you ever finished thus far in your profession?
I’ve been quite a bit to Asia, quite a bit round Australia, all of the completely different states. I’ve been to Europe just a few occasions and America.
Do you have got a favorite place you’ve travelled?
I really like Europe, particularly in summer season. I really like the climate, the folks there and the meals.
What are your tennis goals?
My tennis dream is to get to the highest 10 and play in any respect the Grand Slams.
Who’ve been the largest influences thus far in your profession?
Most likely my mother and father, particularly my dad. He’s all the time been a giant a part of my tennis. He’s all the time been there for me, pushed me by way of onerous occasions and he’s actually had a huge impact.
Have you ever modelled your sport on anybody particularly?
I like Simona Halep, so I’ve all the time tried to play like her. She’s clearly very aggressive too, loves her backhand. I watch a whole lot of her matches to see her ways and the way I can incorporate these into my sport.
Who’re your different favorite tennis gamers to look at?
Victoria Azarenka is all the time somebody I’ve admired from a younger age. I’ve all the time liked the best way she performs and fights on the courtroom and the way she’s aggressive. That’s how I wish to play too.
Are there any Australian gamers which have impressed you?
I’ve all the time appreciated watching Sam Stosur and Ash Barty, they’re each superb. I really like Ash’s variation and the way she dominated together with her slice and her all-round sport.
Have you ever spent any time with Ash when she was coaching in Brisbane?
I’ve seen her right here just a few occasions. I used to be meant to hit together with her as soon as, however sadly bought injured, so I wasn’t in a position to.
How did you’re feeling about having the prospect to hit with a world No.1?
I used to be fairly nervous. Even simply strolling round and seeing her on this setting is admittedly cool.
What has been the proudest on-court second thus far in your profession?
Most likely taking part in my first Grand Slam, which was juniors on the Australian Open in 2020. That was a extremely nice expertise. Having all my household and mates with the ability to watch me in Melbourne was actually cool.
Mia Repac in motion at Australian Open 2020. Image: Getty Pictures
What have been your feelings like contesting your first Grand Slam?
They really put me on a present courtroom for my first match, so I used to be very nervous. I had a little bit of a crowd too. It was type of my first large crowd, so I had a whole lot of feelings. However it was good that I used to be in a position to overcome them and play good tennis.
What have been the largest classes you took from that have?
Having the ability to keep centered on the courtroom, that was a giant one. I needed to strive to not get too distracted and never suppose an excessive amount of about who’s watching or who’s round.
Are you continue to finding out, in addition to competing?
I’m in my first yr of college, finding out a Bachelor of Enterprise. It’s 100 per cent on-line, so that permits me nonetheless to coach full-time and do my uni in my spare time. I’m having fun with it, it offers me a possibility to change off from tennis and concentrate on one thing else.
What recommendation would you give to different younger folks eager to pursue a tennis profession?
I all the time like utilizing Cristiano Ronaldo’s quote, ‘expertise with out working onerous is nothing’. That’s positively vital in tennis. You’ve started working onerous and push by way of, even when you do have the expertise.
Does coaching on the Nationwide Tennis Academy encourage you to work more durable?
100 per cent. It’s actually inspiring to look as much as the older gamers and wish to be like them, then you have got the opposite ladies your age and youthful pushing you to all the time wish to do extra.
What’s it like dwelling on this setting?
It’s been good. It may be troublesome at occasions too simply because it’s a whole lot of tennis. However I’ve loved dwelling with different ladies who’re comparable ages and I’ve made a whole lot of new friendships.
Are you able to describe your taking part in type in a single sentence?
I wish to play very aggressive – that’s positively my sport, taking the ball early, shortening the factors quite a bit.
What’s your largest energy as a participant?
I’d say positively my backhand. A backhand down the road is a shot I all the time attempt to search for.
When you may steal any stroke from one other participant, what wouldn’t it be and why?
I’d say in all probability Nick Kyrgios’ serve, he’s so relaxed and might hit them so onerous and quick.
Do you comply with any pre-match superstitions?
I have a tendency to love consuming the identical meal throughout a event, usually one thing like steak with mash and veggies so I’m getting sufficient protein and carbs earlier than a match.
Inform us your favourites within the following classes:
Meals: That’s a tricky query. I actually like conventional Serbian meals. My grandma cooks a dish known as sarma, which has cabbage, meat and rice, which I really like.
Taking part in floor: I’m positively a hard-court participant, simply because I grew up primarily taking part in on onerous and it’s what I’m most snug on. I like the best way the ball sits, and also you don’t have to slip as a lot.
Social media platform: Most likely Instagram. It’s fairly fascinating with the ability to take a look at folks’s tales and share posts.
Televison sequence: Most likely Stranger Issues on Netflix.
Musician: Drake.
Who can be your dream doubles accomplice?
Most likely Martina Hingis. She had such an amazing profession, in singles and doubles. I appreciated her all-round sport, her volleying, her variation, and I believe she can be superb to play with.
Mia Repac coaching on the Nationwide Tennis Academy in Brisbane. Image: Tennis Australia
What’s your earliest Australian Open reminiscence?
I in all probability began watching once I was like eight or 9. I bear in mind going to Melbourne for my first AO and I liked it. I used to be making an attempt to get my ball signed by everybody.
Do you bear in mind the primary autograph you bought?
It may need been Novak Djokovic, we all the time used to look at him play at Rod Laver Enviornment. I’d all the time be ready for the gamers after a match making an attempt to get a signature.
How would your family and friends describe you?
That’s a tough query. I believe they’d say that I’m very onerous working. I wish to maintain the whole lot in my management and I’m fairly enjoyable to be round.
Do you have got any siblings who play tennis?
I’ve one youthful sister, however she’s the exact opposite of me. She doesn’t play in any respect.
What are your tennis targets?
I’m simply getting back from a extremely large harm, so my short-term purpose is to get my rating up. I’d actually wish to play the Australian Open subsequent yr.
What harm have you ever been coping with?
I had again issues, which put me out for a really very long time. So, I’m simply grateful to be again out on courtroom.
Have been there any silver linings to this expertise?
Undoubtedly. I’m type of grateful as a result of it allowed me to concentrate on finishing yr 12 final yr. I learnt to be affected person and never get too upset. I attempted to remain actually hopeful and all the time suppose it’s going to get higher.
Have been you nervous to return to competitors?
It was very nerve-wracking. I had a whole lot of doubts, particularly in my first matches again. I didn’t know what to anticipate, but it surely was simply actually good to be again on the market.
What are the advantages of being within the Nationwide Tennis Academy?
I really like all of the help we get, it’s unreal. Having the physios, coaches and private trainers in a single spot is admittedly handy. It’s a tremendous setting.
Was it a troublesome resolution so that you can transfer to Brisbane from Sydney?
It was a giant resolution, however I all the time knew Sydney was solely an hour-and-a-half flight away, so I’m not too removed from residence.
You’ve been working with David Taylor, who has beforehand coached Alicia Molik, Sam Stosur and Ajla Tomljanovic. How has he helped your sport?
He’s bought a lot expertise and may be very educated, so I’m actually grateful to have him as a coach. He has actually already helped me a lot with my sport. He’s recognized all my weaknesses, and we’ve been working onerous and already I’m feeling so significantly better on the courtroom.
Meet extra rising stars of Australian tennis:
> Lily Fairclough
> Jeremy Jin
> Hayden Jones
> Philip Sekulic
Guide on-line, play at the moment: Go to play.tennis.com.au to get out on courtroom and have some enjoyable!
