Lizette Cabrera will make her grand slam debut at the upcoming Australian Open after being awarded a wildcard into the 2017 event.
The 18-year-old received the invitation following her solid season on the tour. Starting 2016 ranked outside the top 1000, Cabrera has won two ITF $25,000 events in her home country as she rose to her current ranking high of 213th. In her most recent event, an ITF $50,000 tournament in Japan, the teenager stunned top 100 player Kurumi Nara on her way to the final before losing to Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
“It’s amazing news and a pretty surreal feeling. To be honest I’m probably still in a bit of shock, but I’m super excited to start playing,” Cabrera told Tennis Australia.
“I think if I’m playing my best tennis you can always match it with any girls inside the top 100, so I want to try and win as many matches as I can which will hopefully help me play in more WTA tournaments in the future.”
Cabrera is yet to play in an event on the WTA Tour. She was notified of her wildcard invitation during a recent five-day training camp with some of Australia’s best tennis players, including Sam Stosur. Speaking about her time at the camp, the 18-year-old has praised two-time grand slam champion Stosur.
“I saw how hard Sam works, how professional she is, and I want to work as hard as she does,’’ she said.
“There was a bit of bonding time as well, going out to group dinners and getting to know the girls.’’
Unlike many other players her age, Cabrera is under no illusion about her chances of reaching the top of the women’s game. Currently studying part-time at the Queensland University of Technology, she is already planning what to do if her tennis career fails to take off.
“I want to have a good backup plan in case I get injured or whatever,’’ she told the Courier Mail. “It’s nice to have an escape. At the end of the day, it’s just a tennis match.”
Joining Cabrera in the first grand slam event of 2017 will be Storm Sanders and Jessica Moore. The pair has been awarded a wildcard into the women’s doubles event. Earlier this year Sanders and Moore with a ITF $50,000 doubles title in Canberra.
