It’s a long road back for Jarmila Gajdosova but the former world No.25 is hoping the first pitstop at Melbourne Park next week will be worth her while.
Gajdosova, who lost her first round singles match at the Sydney International on Monday, inadvertently revealed she’d been granted a wildcard to the opening grand slam of the year.
“Well, right now I still have the Australian Open, so if I could actually win a round finally, then, you know, the hundred points will move me heaps forward,” said the 26-year-old who lost 6-4 7-6 (10-8) to American Lauren Davis.
“The last two weeks of points that I had to defend from Brisbane and Hobart last year, so pretty much anything I’m going to win right about now it’s going to help my ranking.”
Gajdosova’s ranking has been in freefall since her high in May 2011 and now stands at No.265.
It has been a tumultuous three years for the Slovakian-raised right hander, who split with her tennis-playing husband Sam Groth, lost her mother and contracted mononucleosis which left her sick, lethargic and out of the game for more than half of 2013.
She hasn’t won a top level WTA Tour match since Hobart in 2013.
On Monday she had her moments against the world No.67, including set points in the second set, and said all she could do was continue to have faith in her ability.
“There are good things, bad things,” she said.
“There is still a lot that needs to be improved. It’s not definitely where I want it to be. Physically I feel okay, not great. I’m still very tired. I think the two hours in the sun took a lot out of me …”
“I think I struggle a bit with that considering I haven’t played for almost nine months. It’s not easy for me right now. I try to do the right things and be positive and fight as much as I can, but it’s not easy if you haven’t played. It’s not easy losing.”