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by Prip The Aussie-born girl of Croatian descent had had a good ITF summer circuit, and was confident going into the match. In addition to her family who had been around tournament grounds from day one, she had invited a group of friends of hers, and they pretty much dominated a section of the stands, cheering loudly for their girl. Nicole started out playing too hard, like she had something to prove against this young girl. She had been playing in the Hopman Cup in Perth and had hopped in a plane to Sydney at 5am the previous morning. As if that wouldn't tire her out enough, she found out this morning that she would have to play the second match on Centre Court despite having appealed for a delayed match. To make matters worse, down 3-5 in the first set, she jammed her foot while going for a volley, and felt some discomfort in the tendons in her foot and ankle. She promptly lost the game and the first set, and had the trainer come out to take a look. The ankle continued to bother her throughout the match, and it became increasingly uncomfortable for her to play, but Nicole Pratt is all guts out on the court. Anyone watching can see immediately that this player puts her heart into every point, and Pratt diving around the court is no strange sight. The second set was a tight struggle, as Evie was determined not to let the match slip through her grasp, and Nicole was struggling to turn the momentum in her favour. The Aussie crowd started to offer a little more support for Nicole, won over by her all-out effort. Nicole played more fearlessly, running around backhands to smack her forehands and running in to hit swinging volleys. The veteran pressured her compatriot in any way she could, whether it be when returning serve or to dare her to come up with a passing shot. Her effort paid off as she not only took the second set, but totally gained control of the match. With things not going her way and the crowd offering support for Nicole, Evie totally fell apart. To the disappointment of her friends, family and supporters, she self-destructed and completely lost it. Nicole knew her opponent and her mental fragility well, and cruised to a 6-1 finish despite having everything but experience going against her. |