TENNIS:TONIGHT CONOR Niland flies from Doha to Melbourne. Another year and another Grand Slam awaits the player who briefly entered celebrity city in 2010.
Last year Wimbledon and the US Open suddenly had an Irish slant as Niland all too briefly flashed across the tennis world. A Limerick player with the world number one, Novak Djokovic, on the same court in New York claimed new ground for the sport in Ireland. But Niland hasn’t parked his career on that cameo.
Now Melbourne and the Australian Open qualifying tournament provides the Irish number one with his first opportunity to connect the bittersweet success of two first-round defeats in majors last season into a seamless streak of Grand Slam participation.
His ranking has dropped from a high of 129 to the 280s but in the wind and heat of Doha optimism about Australia rides high in his thinking.
He has never before played in the main draw, although two years ago he made it through to the final round of the qualification event only to lose to Brazilian Ricardo Hocevar in three sets.
“If I get into the quallies in Melbourne it will be the fifth time in a row,” he says. “In 2010 I was up a set and 4-3 and lost. That match was for the taking. I was playing good tennis and actually my ranking then was similar to what it is now, about 280.”
As with all Grand Slam events there is an entry list of names for the qualification event and Niland’s name is around 12th on that. There is a hint of a waiting game to be played but experience has taught him there is always significant drop out in the days leading into the tournament.
“I’m going to go to Melbourne anyway,” he says. “I’m not in right now but I’d be 75-80 per cent sure I’ll get in. A lot goes on in Slams in the few days before. Play starts on Wednesday 11th and while it would have been nice to get a match or two here in Doha, I’ve been practising with guys who are 60 and 70 in the world, guys like Grega Zemlja, who plays Federer here tonight.
“It’s good because it’s about 25 degrees and it’s windy. I’ve played a couple of matches in Melbourne and it will be really, really windy and could be very hot.”
Just coming out of the indoor season, Niland’s reshaped ambition for the year ahead is to trim his ranking and again make a play for the four Grand Slam events. He also hopes to take part in more of the tougher ATP tour events, which are a level up from the Challenger events.
It’s a risk-reward strategy as the ranking points are easier to come by in Challengers. The two he won last year in Israel and Saltzburg were mainly responsible for propelling him up the ranking ladder to his career high.
“I want to focus on the ranking and ATP events,” he says. “The last couple of years I’ve played three or four of those events. This year I want to play nine or 10 ATP quallies. I want to be back inside 250 after this trip and in the top 150 by the summer, make a push to play in the Grand Slams and win a match there.”
For now it’s Melbourne and the Australian Open. The first Grand Slam of the year and for now a clear view of the year ahead.
