Dec. 14, 2017
MELBOURNE, Aus. – Astra Sharma of the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team is set to live out the dream of many aspiring tennis stars: an opportunity to compete in a Grand Slam.
On Thursday, the Perth, Australia native teamed up with Florida alum Belinda Woolcock to secure a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open doubles tournament. A true dream come true.
The Australian Open will be the redshirt senior’s first Grand Slam appearance, a feat which didn’t come easily as the Commodore defeated the draw’s top seed Wednesday and the second-seeded pairing of Destanee Aiava and Tammi Patterson on Thursday.
As in Wednesday’s semifinal battle, the wildcard finale went to a competitive 10-point tiebreaker. The Commodore/Gator combo earned a decisive first-set lead, only allowing Aiava/Patterson a single lone game. Aiava and Patterson rebounded in the second set and picked up several key points to take the set, 6-3, forcing a deciding tiebreaker.
Following the changeover, the SEC pairing came back on court determined to punch their tickets to the Australian Open. Once competitors, Sharma and Woolcock teamed up to earn a swift lead in the 10-point tiebreaker and play dominant defense to limit their opponents to just three points. Sharma and Woolcock walked away with the win and the wildcard, 6-1, 3-6, 10-3.
The Australian Open will take place at Melbourne Park at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australian from Jan. 16-29. The Australian Open will be the first major Grand Slam event of the year, as the top tennis players come from around the world to play on the hardcourt service.
