Highlights
- Priscilla Hon is 23-years-old and currently ranked No. 223 in the women's singles.
- Hon was born in Australia and is of Hong Kong descent.
- She defeated former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová in her career best performance prior to this year's Australian Open.
Priscilla Hon has been knocked out of the Australian Open by 2019 French Open finalist Markéta Vondroušová in straight sets.
The Czech took just over an hour to beat the Australian. Hon had been awarded the eighth wildcard entry after defeating former Wimbledon champion and world No. 19 Petra Kvitova in the lead up to the tournament.
The two players were familiar with each other’s game having played in junior tournaments together.
“I have played her a few times but I don’t remember anything. I just went out there. I wanted to play my game,” Vondroušová said in a post-match press conference.
Hon moved well but didn’t find her rhythm, accumulating 35 unforced errors against an opponent who outranks her by almost 200 places.
“I think she was moving well. She served really well, but I think I did a good job. Overall, I felt good,” Vondroušová said.
“I tried to serve as many first serves as I could,” she added.
With Australian fans shouting, “Go Pri,” and close family and friends present, Hon lost the first set 6-2 in under 30 minutes.
Hon’s father Ming told SBS Chinese his daughter looked a little “nervous” settling into the match.
“She hasn’t played a lot of high-quality matches in so long [due to injury],” he said.
But nerves weren’t so evident as the game progressed.
Hon started the second set strong, winning her first service and breaking the Czech’s serve in the second game to lead 3-1.
But Vondroušová broke back in the next game just when more of Hon’s family and friends arrived in the northern end of the outside court’s stand. Many had travelled from the tennis player’s hometown of Brisbane to watch her play in her fourth Australian Open.
Hon failed to close out her third service game, giving Vondroušová the break to take the lead 4-3.
A few close calls went in favour of the Czech left-hander as she approached the finish line, but not without a fight from Hon.
A tense match-point duel was a highlight of the match, as both players brushed up against the court's back fence, lobbing the ball to and fro.
Former Australian player Alicia Molik watched on as Hon fought to win that rally, but couldn’t save a fourth match point to lose the game 6-2, 6-3.
“I feel like Priscilla possesses a game that can be successful at the top of women’s tennis with a fantastic return, a really big forehand.
“But I think something that will come with time is […] the sense of belief and belonging, you can only get that through being on tour and she’s obviously been out [with a hip injury].”
Hon told SBS Chinese she spent the year working with a sports psychologist to build up her confidence.
“I think when she … reverts back to the belief and trust in herself she’ll start having a lot of successes,” Molik said.
