Aryna Sabalenka put her beaten challenger’s name, Brenda Fruhvirtova, up in lights under the gaze of a Rod Laver Arena twilight crowd a year ago.
The reigning champion had just conceded five games against the younger of two fearless Czech sisters while on her march to a second straight Australian Open title, but saw ample to suggest a big result was on the horizon.
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“I wish I would be on this level when I was 16,” Sabalenka beamed.
Just imagine if a wrist problem was not impeding the teenager at the time.
On Wednesday, the now 17-year-old Fruhvirtova – typically without fear and finally injury-free again – put a testing 12 months behind her for a 6-0 6-2 victory over former world No.5 Sara Errani and a final-round qualifying berth at Melbourne Park.
It extended her unbeaten run in Australian Open qualifying matches to eight as she closed in on winning through to a third straight main-draw berth.
“I guess it's my lucky Slam,” Fruhvirtova grinned. “I really hope to make it for a third time … I'm actually pretty pumped to play tournaments again because I didn't play much last year, so I’m excited for every match.
“Every match makes me happy to get the win after a long time out so, yeah, I just hope everything is going to be better and better.”
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There was an upset of fellow 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the first round at Wimbledon last year, but the Prague talent’s high points fell sporadically between setbacks, which stunted momentum and sent her ranking teetering on the brink of a top-200 exit at season’s end.
Her dash through qualifying and on to the Sabalenka showdown in the second round at AO 2024, all while nursing a problematic wrist, had been an unfortunate precursor to the year ahead.
“For sure it was a great experience for me to play against such a player like Sabalenka, so it gave me a lot, and to play on Rod Laver Arena, you know, it was also a different kind of experience,” she said.
“To play on such a court against such a player it's hard, and it makes you nervous especially when you play like that for the first time or when you're not really used to it. I wasn't really fit at that match, so it was difficult. I was happy after to be in the locker room.”
The relief at an imminent return to the locker room from Court 13 on Wednesday had a far more optimistic air about it after Fruhvirtova held serve on her eighth match point in a nerve-racking 13-minute final game against the fourth seed. The match itself only lasted 60 minutes.
Twenty years the Czech’s senior, Errani had pushed former champion Lindsay Davenport in the opening round of her Australian Open debut in 2008 when Fruhvirtova was just six months old.
“I was going into the match knowing it's going to be really hard because she doesn't really give you free points and I had to finish almost every rally by a winner or just pushing her,” Fruhvirtova said ahead of a final-round qualifying match against Polish 20th seed Maja Chwalinska.
“It was really hot today, so I didn't have much energy in the end. I was super exhausted, and she was playing really well on the match points … I just had to finish it.”
In an all-Australian affair between two close friends, Kimberly Birrell had Priscilla Hon’s measure for the second time in as many weeks on home soil.
The world No.99, who defeated Hon in three sets en route to her maiden WTA 500 quarterfinal in Brisbane last week, prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-4 before the pair shared a laugh and a warm embrace at net after the two-hour, 39-minute outing.
“I really believe in the way that I’m playing and anything can happen, especially in the first week of the year, especially playing at home,” the 26-year-old said after she set a final-round showdown against Oksana Selekhmeteva, a three-set victor over Australia’s Astra Sharma on Wednesday.
“I can’t wait to get out here again. Everyone is a great tennis player, so it’s going to take another big effort but I’m ready.”
In other women’s second-round qualifying, Serbian Nina Stojanovic stopped 11th-seeded American Robin Montgomery 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3 to book a meeting with 25th seed Wei Sijia of China, and British third seed Harriet Dart steamed home 6-7(7) 6-1 6-2 over Australian Taylah Preston to set up a clash with Japan’s Nao Hibino.
Australian Maddison Inglis toppled fifth-seeded Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo 4-6 6-3 6-3 for a third-round encounter with Argentine 19th seed Julia Riera.