This year’s Australian Open has confirmed to America’s Jennifer Brady that she belongs at the top of the game as she enjoys her best ever run at the tournament.
The world No.24 is through to the semifinals in Melbourne Park after fighting back from a set down to defeat compatriot Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. To put that achievement in perspective Brady had lost in the first round of the tournament in two out of her three previous appearances at the event. In her latest win, she impressively won 82% of her first service points and produced a total of 22 winners.
Brady’s breakthrough in Australia follows-up on her run at the US Open last year where she also reached the semi-final stage. It was during 2020 when she broke into the world’s top 50 for the first time and won her maiden WTA title in Lexington.
“I think they’re separate entities,” Brady replied when comparing her runs at the Australian Open to that of the US Open.
“It definitely helps, just helps my overall confidence. Knowing that I belong at this level, I can compete in the second week of Grand Slams consistently, and I hope to continue to do that consistently.’
“It will obviously benefit me moving forward.”
At a younger age Brady would never imagine she would have such success in a sport which she admits to having a love-hate relationship with. Speaking franking with reporters on Wednesday, the American says for her it was a case of ‘growing to love’ the sport instead of love at first sight.
“When I was younger, I used to hate watching tennis, I didn’t really enjoy playing either, to be honest,” she said. “I would say as the years go by, I enjoy it more and more.”
So what changed? Unlike her peers, Brady didn’t go straight into professional tennis and instead opted to go through the college system first where she enjoyed a high amount of success. During her freshman year at UCLA she help her team win the 2014 Division 1 Women’s Tennis National Championship.
It was at college where Brady came to a revelation that sport and not education was what she wanted to do. She didn’t play in a main draw of a Grand Slam until the age of 21.
“I didn’t like to study. I didn’t like school. I found that out real quick when I went to college,” Brady reflected. “I was like, okay, studying isn’t really for me. I’m not made for a desk job. I enjoy playing tennis. So it took me to get away a little bit from the sport to realize that this is what I want to do.”
Now a full-time player, she is just two wins away from her first Grand Slam title. Standing in her way of the final is Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova who has knocked Ash Barty out of the tournament. The winner will then take on either Naomi Osaka or Serena Williams for the trophy.
“I think it’s a huge achievement for me to make these semi-finals here. I look to make the finals, so we’ll see,” she concluded.
