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A mattress prepared Jennifer Brady for the ride of her life.
The rising American tennis star, 25, is set to face No.3 Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open final on Saturday morning, weeks after being forced into self-quarantine in Melbourne. A passenger on her charter flight to Australia tested positive for the coronavirus, leaving Brady and 51 other players banned from leaving their hotel rooms for two weeks.
Instead of being able to train on a court or even get some fresh air, Brady, the 22nd ranked player in the world, pushed her mattress against the wall and kicked tennis balls on it. She set up agility drills within the confines of her bedroom instead of binging Netflix.
“That’s also why she did well in her 40s. She accepts things as they are. She doesn’t think bad things are happening to her, ”coach Michael Geserer said on Friday.
“There are rules and she follows the rules. If they say, “Don’t leave the room, don’t open the door, like in quarantine,” she’s not breaking the rules. It’s not her.
The approach has paid off: Not only is Brady the only quarantined player to make it past round three, but the UCLA product has a chance of revenge in a 2020 US Open semi-final. which Osaka won in straight sets home and away.
A win over Osaka would be a whole new high for the Harrisbug, PA native. Brady earned her first Top 20 wins in 2019 after teaming up with Gerserer, then defeated No.1 Ashleigh Barty in 2020. In Melbourne, she used her athleticism and big serves to beat 28th Donna Vekic and the 25th Karolina. Muchova among her six victories to reach the final.
Now she’s looking at what would be her first Grand Slam title and a potential No.12 ranking.
“There will be, like in every game, nerves,” Gerserer said. “She will feel the little pressure. It’s healthy, it’s good. She also knows how to deal with it.
Just ask for her hotel mattress.
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