By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Sunday, January 12, 2025
Picture credit score: Cameron Spencer/Getty
Donna Vekic carried concern and depth onto courtroom for her Australian Open opener.
These parts and her booming forehand helped propel Vekic to her first win of the season.
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The 2024 Wimbledon semifinalist Vekic defeated Diane Parry 6-4, 6-4 to roll into the Australian Open second spherical for the eighth time.
Vekic spent the offseason coaching in Los Angeles and stated afterward her ideas have been along with her coach, Pam Shriver, who’s dwelling in Southern California out of concern for the continuing fires.
“It is a very troublesome scenario for her. She’s dwelling in L.A.,” Vekic stated of Shriver. “Her home is okay for now, however so many have misplaced every part, and it is a horrible scenario.
“We have been doing our pre-season in L.A. this yr, so we have been simply there two weeks in the past. So I actually can not consider what’s taking place. We’re very unhappy that she’s not right here with us, however yeah.”
In Shriver’s absence, coach Sascha Bajin, who previously labored with Naomi Osaka, Dayana Yastremska and Alycia Parks, is in Vekic’s nook. The veteran Vekic stated Bajin is bringing loads of constructive vitality.
“A variety of depth. A variety of depth,” Vekic stated of Bajin. “Good vitality. We had a extremely good pre-season. We labored actually laborious, so I used to be a bit bit upset that I misplaced first three matches of the season. I used to be, like, No, come on, we labored so laborious. I used to be training so effectively.
“However for me, even when I misplaced in the present day, it would not have modified quite a bit. I believe he is an excellent coach, has a number of expertise, and hopefully we are able to have some good outcomes collectively.”
