Matthew Ebden seeks more success after a great 2018
The 31-year-old Matthew Ebden has had quite a journey on the ATP Tour in the last 13 years or so, improving his ranking and game constantly to finish the season inside the top-100 for the first time in 2011. After a few solid seasons, Durban native lost the ground a little bit in 2014, 2015 and 2016, scoring six ATP wins overall and barely staying inside the top-700 in 2016, playing just 15 matches and struggling with a left knee injury that has been bothering him since the closing stages of the previous season. Determined to make a comeback, Matthew made great progress in 2017, claiming two Challenger titles and reaching his first ATP final on grass in Newport as a qualifier, ranked 249th.
After lifting a title at Canberra Challenger, Ebden cracked the top-100 for the first time since September 2014, wrapping up the year with another crown in Toyota and seeking even bigger results in 2018. They for sure came, with Peter raising his level to complete a career-best season and finish inside the top-50 for the first time. Perth resident scored 19 ATP wins (only four before June), seven of those on grass that saw him reaching the semis in s-Hertogenbosch, the quarters in Halle and the third round at Wimbledon, his career-best Grand Slam result.
He was also the semi-finalist in Atlanta and it was Shanghai that brought his best Masters 1000 result, advancing into the last eight for the first time at this level. Hungry for more, Ebden is now ready to represent his country in the very last Hopman Cup from December 29, making his second appearance in Perth after 2015 when he was forced to withdraw from the event after the opening match loss to Jerzy Janowicz due to a calf injury. Paired with Ashleigh Barty, Matthew will have a chance to fight against Germany, Spain and France and it will be interesting to see him against Alexander Zverev, David Ferrer and Lucas Pouille in his last tests before heading to Sydney and Melbourne where he will kick off the official season.
“I know not to get too worried or too excited about things,” Ebden said. “It’s easy to do, playing in front of thousands of people in your hometown. I’m going to stay nice and calm. I think I’ve got a long way to go. I’ve got a lot still to improve and work on, so right after here I’ll be back on the practice court and in the gym chipping away at all that. I’m loving the process of it all, especially here at home, it’s special. I’ve been able to get my highest, strongest numbers in the gym strength-wise and power-wise so of course I’ll be trying to translate that on the court. It’s no secret that the results I’ve had and shown, it’s possible we can win all our matches but it’s also possible we can lose them.”
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2RbKZO7
No comments