LIZETTE Cabrera already has an Australian Open qualifying wildcard in her back pocket, but the Queensland teenager hopes her form at a tournament in Japan next week will prove she merits a main draw debut.
Cabrera, 18, is the fourth-ranked Australian woman after winning two Futures tournaments in Tweed Heads and Brisbane last month and is under consideration for one of Tennis Australia’s discretionary wildcards into the main draw at January’s Australian Open.
Cabrera, ranked No.257, and Ipswich’s Ash Barty (321) will contest a $50,000 tournament in Toyota, Japan, next week.
A big finish to the year for either woman would see them receive entries from Tennis Australia into their January tournaments, including the Brisbane International.
“Japan may be my last tournament of the year,’’ Cabrera said before flying out of Brisbane.
“It depends on whether I get the Australian Open main draw wildcard. If I don’t get it I would play in the Australian Open wildcard playoff in Melbourne (in mid-December).
“I haven’t played qualifying at the Australian Open, only juniors. I’ve been waiting for my time and been working towards this time.
“Nicole Pratt (TA head of women’s tennis) said I was in an 18-23 (years) pro squad for next year so I will get a bit of funding and be able to choose my tournaments wisely.’’
After watching matches as a spectator at all eight Brisbane Internationals played so far, Cabrera wants to “cause some damage’’ in the WTA tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre, where she has trained for five years since her parents Maria and Ronnie moved their family from Townsville to further her tennis experience.
“I live five minutes from the tennis centre at Yeronga so during the tournament I can hear when something’s going on,’’ she said.
“I love the Brisbane International and it would be special for me to play there (although) I’ve played qualifying twice.
“I think a lot of girls get wildcards into the Brisbane International and feel satisfied with that. I will have a tough training block before these tournaments and I really want to do some damage. I feel if I’m playing my best tennis I can do well at WTA level.
“I’ve been travelling since I was 12. My first trip to Paris was really cool. I have experienced things a lot of people my age haven’t and I think more maturely because of that.’’
Central to her insistence on staying grounded despite the head-turning opportunities of her possible career, Cabrera is studying a business subject part-time at the Queensland University of Technology.
“I want to have a good backup plan in case I get injured or whatever,’’ she said. “It’s nice to have an escape. At the end of the day, it’s just a tennis match.
“It was really exciting to play well (in winning the Brisbane Futures final last month). I’ve been working very hard for this.’’
