By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday January 17, 2022
Sam Stosur rallied from a set down to top American wild card Robin Montgomery on Day 3, to prolong her career.
Photo Source: Getty
20 years after Sam Stosur first graced the courts at Melbourne Park the Aussie, now 37, is back for her swan song. Ranked 487 and in the draw as a wild card, the Queenslander slayed the moment and rallied for a satisfying 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3 over American wild card Robin Montgomery on Tuesday.
Call it serendipity or call it justice: For the first time since 2010, Stosur rallied for a victory after dropping the first set at a major, snapping a streak of 29 straight losses after dropping the opener at Slams.
“Right from the first couple of games I thought, No, I can do this today,” Stosur told reporters. “Hung in there and, yeah, obviously very happy to get the win.”
The Aussie buys herself another match, and will face Russian’s Anastasia Palyuchenkova in the second round. Naturally, she’ll be the heavy underdog against the No.10 seed, but don’t count Stosur out. She’s clearly vibing off some pretty heavy emotions in this her 20th main draw singles appearance at the Australian Open. Known for tightening up in Melbourne, where the pressure on her has been so great over the years, could it be that the buffed Aussie is finally learning to evict the demons that have shacked up rent-free with her in Melbourne for so many years?
“That's kind of been the focus all along since I knew this was going to be my last event, was to play how I want to play, go out and enjoy it, yeah, pretty much do what I did today,” said the 2011 US Open champion.
“I couldn't really ask for much more. “It was just great to get out there and play that sort of tennis in that sort of match out there with that crowd on a new court. It was good fun.”
It’s rather remarkable that Stosur only has two round of 16 appearances to show for herself at her home Slam, especially when one factors in the prowess of the Aussie in her prime. The former World No.4 owns nine WTA titles and has been to the semifinals or better at five Grand Slams – in addition to her US Open title she also reached the Roland-Garros final in 2010.
But that’s all in the past now. This week in Melbourne, Stosur is living for the present, and she knows this is her last chance to leave everything out on the singles court.
She says she’s finding it easier to do that now because of the sense of urgency she feels with this being her last dance at the Australian Open. She’s at peace with her decision, but eager to end it on the highest note possible.
“It's sort of easier because, yeah, it's kind of like this is your last chance, if you don't do it now you're never going to have another opportunity to do it,” she said. “Kind of like back's against the wall, this is it.
“It's probably a bit easier because I've been wanting to try to find that in my tennis for a couple of years now. I think when you're kind of chasing something, even though it's not about that, it's always in the back of your mind, got to do well here, your ranking is not going in the right direction, all that sort of stuff, it doesn't always allow that to happen.
“I feel like the last month or so, since I decided this is what I wanted to do, I've kind of found that. I actually think I'm hitting the ball really well, really clean. Probably some of the best striking I've done for a little while.”