Marinko Matosevic wins 2012 Australian Open wildcard playoffs for 2ndsuccessive year – Tennis News
Marinko Matosevic has made it to the Australian Open main round for the second consecutive year after defeating James Duckworth in the final of wildcard playoffs at Melbourne Park on Sunday 11th December.
Croatian born never seems to have any sort of problem and managed to secure a main round berth with ease. He entered the match as the hot favourite and left the field with a thumping victory that was expected of him.
Stunning first and second serve accuracy with breathtaking forehand and backhand returns from the Croatian born proved a little too much for Duckworth to handle. Successful breaks and consistency in long rallies were the main factors
that lead to Matosevic’s triumph.
He played in this year’s Australian Open as well after winning the playoffs last year but his stay in the grand slam tournament was short lived as he couldn’t manage to go pass the first round of the tournament, lost at the hands
of Richard Berankis in three sets.
Australian’s dream run in the wildcard playoffs this year earns him another dream opportunity to make a name for him at an elite platform. In a post match conference, world number 201 said “I tried to just put it to the back of
my mind and get the job done. I know his game pretty well,” he added. “[Duckworth] is a very good player and I wish him all the best.”
Matosevic had a very topsy turvy season this year and he couldn’t find firm footing in any major tournament. He lost in the first rounds of Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open while his disappointing performance in the qualifiers
of French Open denied him of a place in the main draw of the tournament.
He was one of the members of Australian Davis Cup team that played against Chinese team in July this year but he failed to grab that opportunity as well and lost to Di Wu in a nail biting five-setter. There is no major performance
that could be named to be one of the best from the Australian because he hasn’t been able to march into the advanced stages of any tournament.
A dismal record of 31-27 clearly states that he has majorly struggled this year but his wildcard entry to the Australian Open might be a lucky breakthrough he requires to conquer that magic touch that will help him to move into
the advanced rounds of the tournaments.
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