This girlllll needs a thread. Just recently won an ITF junior title in Europe, won Asia/Oceania closed junior championship, won a platinum AMT and has just won her first 25k main draw match.
Lizette continues to go from strength to strength. Plays her first ITF final today in a $25K final against Destanee Aiava. Lizette should be top 400 after this week. Great stuff!
def Destanee Aiava 6-3 5-7 6-2 in $25K Tweed Heads final
Her ranking will be around 350 when the points are added and she'll be #8 in Australia. A local news story says the win "will earn her a potential wildcard" to the Brisbane International.
At this rate, she will very soon be the highest ranked Australian teenager. Amazing year she's having! Very unexpected...
Really good article on Lizette! She sounds mature & confident. Here is hoping for a good summer!
Rising Australian tennis player Lizette Cabrera hopes to earn entry into 2017 Brisbane International
November 9, 20167:59pm
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.
Lizette Cabrera will receive a wildcard entry into the Australian Open. Picture: Tim Marsden
Lizette Cabrera will receive a wildcard entry into the Australian Open. Picture: Tim MarsdenSource:News Corp Australia
“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.
Lizette Cabrera in action at a tournament in Cairns earlier this year. Picture: Stewart McLean
Lizette Cabrera in action at a tournament in Cairns earlier this year. Picture: Stewart McLeanSource:News Corp Australia
“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.’’
So Liz plays 26-year old Shiho Akita today in the semis. Shiho has had some pretty solid results over the last couple of months (a 25K win and a 25K final). Battled hard in this tournament with 3x3-setters. Interestingly Shiho has retired from 4 matches this year.