Elise Mertens grabbed the headlines last Tuesday when she she upset number 4 seed Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-0 to become the first Belgian player to reach the semifinals at the Australian Open since Kim Clijsters’ last appearance at this tournament in 2012. The young Belgian player lost to Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals.
Elise Mertens is gradually following in the footsteps of Belgian tennis legends Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, who made tennis history in their country some years ago. Clijsters won four Grand Slam titles (Australian Open 2011 and US Open three times in 2005, 2009 and 2011), reached two finals at Roland Garros in 2001 and 2003 and two semifinals at Wimbledon in 2003 and 2006. Henin clinched seven Grand Slam titles (Australian Open 2004, Roland Garros 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, US Open 2003 and 2007) and finished runner-up at Wimbledon twice in 2001 and 2006.
Clijsters reached her first Roland Garros final in 2001, when Mertens was five years old.
“What they achieved was amazing. Of course I looked up to them, while I was growing up. I was five years old when I watch Kim play for the the first time in 2001. That year she made her first French Open final ”.
Clijsters has made a major contribution in Mertens’ career. The 22-year-old from Leuven has trained at Clijsters’ tennis academy for the past three years. Mertens is coached by her boyfriend Robbie Ceyssens, but Clijsters watched Mertens’ matches in Melbourne and provided her some useful advice during the tournament.
“Kim was also stressed in my quarter final match against Svitolina. I received messages of advice from Kim. She has the experience, so it’s always nice to talk to her”, said Mertens after her quarter final match against Svitolina.
Mertens made her breakthrough on the international stage when she won her first WTA title in Hobart in January 2016. The Hobart event was held in the same week as the qualifying tournament for the Australian Open. Mertens and her second round opponent Sachia Vickery were both entered in the qualifying round for the Australian Open and needed to withdraw from Hobart. As Vickery withdrew first, Mertens continued to play in Hobart and clinched her maiden WTA title. She climbed to world number 35 at the end of the 2017 season after reaching the third round at Roland Garros.
Mertens started the 2018 season with her second consecutive title in Hobart, where she beat Mihaela Buzarnsescu in the final. She also clinched the doubles title together with Demi Shuurs. At the Australian Open Mertens beat Viktoria Kuzmova, Daria Gavrilova, Alizé Cornet and Petra Martic to reach her maiden Grand Slam quarter finals. She achieved her first career win over a top-five player beating Elina Svitolina in the quarter finals before losing to Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets in the semifinal. Before losing to the Dane, Mertens was on a 10-match unbeaten streak in 2018.
“I didn’t really have a lot of expectations here in Melbourne. I played a qualifier in the first round, so I was expected to win. It was not always easy. As it moved forward, first round, second round, I didn’t really expect to be in the semis. My win against Svitolina was hard to describe. Of course you work hard every week to be here, to do well at a Grand Slam. The quarter final was a bonus. Of course you want to win a Grand Slam, but winning the quarter finali s not too bad. Against Wozniacki I had nothing to lose. I was a bit the underdog. I was looking forward to the match against Caroline Wozniacki, but she was really good today. She hit her serves, her grounstrokes were pretty aggrssive. I mean, it’s a mixed feeling. Of course I lost the match, but I am very happy that I reached the semifinal for the first time. I gave everything today until the last point. The fighting spirit was there. She was slightly better than me today”.
Wozniacki beat Mertens in three sets 7-5 4-6 6-2 in semifinals of Bastad tournament last year.
“It was clay, so it’s a totally different surrounding. Today a lot of games were 40-all. A lot of points could go either way. I really loved it. I enjoyed every moment that I have been on center court. It’s been a good two weeks. I learned that anything is possible. The belief in yourself. Also in the second match I was 5-love down. I think mentally it’s very important that the body has to work well, but I think that anything is possible in tennis”.
At the end of her outstanding week in Melbourne Mertens will move up to world number 20, a remarkable achievement for a player, who ended the 2016 season ranked world number 120.
“Top 20 is a totally different thing, but it’s a ranking. If the level is there, if you work hard, you still have to work for it. I am not going to say top 20 is my goal. I hope to go even further”.
Mertens credits her improvement to her boyfriend Robbe Ceyssens.
“He is by my side all the time. Since we have been together my game has only gone upward. All credit to him”, said Mertens of Ceyssens.
