At just 1.70m, Elizabeth Mandlik concedes she does not possess the most imposing stature on court.
The 21-year-old instead relies on an inherent tenacity, fiercely revving herself up between points as a reminder that she is not one to be intimidated.
Her playing style holds little resemblance to that of her mother, four-time Grand Slam champion Hana Mandlikova, but the competitive drive, she said, is very much a family trait.
“If I'm grunting and being more vocal and saying 'c'mon, let's go' after every point it might sound annoying but for me it helps me get through all the emotions on court. It lets me let it all out,” Mandlik said following her 6-2 6-2 second-round qualifying win over Mai Hontama.
“My coach Sebastian Eguez always tells me 'the No.1 thing for you to play good is you need to always step in and hit the ball. If you don't hit the ball, nothing is going to happen’.
“I’m smaller, but I'm fast. If I take a step back and start just making the ball they're going to kill me.”
The American made her Grand Slam debut at last year’s US Open where she reached the second round.
On Wednesday, the world No.130 closed to within one win of making her Australian Open debut, 36 years after the last of her mother’s major triumphs at Kooyong.
Just across the road from Melbourne Park, Mandlik’s grandfather, Vilem Mandlik, ran for Czechoslovakia in the 200m semifinals at the 1956 Olympic Games.
The family links to the city run deep, but Mandlikova has been careful not to burden her daughter with unnecessary expectations.
The former world No.3 rarely speaks of her major triumphs, including two Australian Opens.
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“I've watched a couple of her matches but only because I’ve asked or because somebody says 'oh you should watch this', but it never really came from her,” Mandlik said.
“She likes me to do my own thing and make my own story in a way, but she knows how proud I am of her. I think it's incredible.
“It would mean the world [to qualify]. I don't want to care too much but I care a lot. I want to do it so bad.”
Mandlikova’s trophies are all in Prague instead of the family home in Florida - all except for one US Open cup.
It was not until Mandlik and her twin brother Mark Vilem were being taken to daycare at the majors while their mother played legends doubles that something began to tweak.
“You'd look at other players that are parents dropping off and I was like 'there's only pro players coming in here, my mum might be good',” Mandlik laughed.
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While her brother was more like Mum – “super hyper” – Mandlik said she is more the calm member of the family.
“I got her caring and demeanour on court, that I want it so bad,” she said.
“She knows that I got that from her, so she always says ‘take a step back, don't push so hard because you're going to retire at 27 like I did. I don't want you to do that’.”
Third seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova now stands between Mandlik and a main draw berth.
The Slovak easily accounted for Frenchwoman Jessika Ponchet, 6-1 6-1 on Wednesday.
Fourth seed Cristina Bucsa of Spain and American former world No.9 CoCo Vandeweghe also advanced to the final round with their respective straight-sets victories, while Andorran 17-year-old Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva dropped just two games against Australian Zoe Hives.
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The 2020 girls’ singles champion closed to within one victory of making her Grand Slam main draw debut.
In a shock late result, No.1 seed Alycia Parks crashed out to 16-year-old Czech Sara Bejlek, spraying 70 unforced errors in a 5-7 6-4 6-2 loss.