Priscilla Hon: 'I have always wanted to play for Australia'
The 20-year-old Brisbane native Priscilla Hon is on a career-high ranking in singles at the moment despite a slower start of 2019, losing in the opening round in Brisbane, Melbourne and Indian Wells where she qualified for the main draw. On the other hand, the youngster is still under the impression of her Fed Cup debut against the USA in February, getting a chance to play the deciding fifth doubles rubber together with Ashleigh Barty, beating Danielle Collins and Nicole Melichar 6-4, 7-5 to grab the historic win for Australia and send their country into the semi-final of the World Group.
Australia will now host Belarus in April at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane and Priscilla can't wait for the tie and to be a part of the team in her native town, having the opportunity to train at Pat Rafter Arena ever since it was built ten years ago. Hon will also try to improve her ranking and crack the top-100 by Wimbledon, hoping for a solid run on the European clay after that Fed Cup tie.
“I always picture that last game,” said Hon. “Playing in my other matches and if it’s a tight situation, I always remember that exact time at Fed Cup, where my nerves were probably way higher and through the roof. I feel like that’s helped me a lot playing in matches after that. When you have a whole team you’re playing for, it adds a lot more pressure to it. Looking back at the whole weekend – at the back of my mind knowing that if it does get to 2-2 that I’ll be playing – I was stressing hard. Against America as well, in America, everyone was going against us over there. I just wanted to make my country proud, I have always wanted to play for Australia.
Playing Junior Fed Cup, they’re like the best weeks I’ve ever had. Playing in the real thing was an even greater feeling. When we won, it was almost like massive relief, that we have finally done it. I could finally breathe, you know? I was still shaking after the match for the next hour or so. During the on-court interview, I felt like I was going to cry (laughter), so many emotions. Playing Fed Cup in Brisbane, that would be a dream. I have been brought up there my whole life and been training at Pat Rafter Arena for as long as it’s ever been there.
There are so many girls they could choose, and everyone’s doing quite well, and we’re all around a similar ranking. I want to get picked obviously, but I don’t want to get too excited about it, in case it doesn’t happen. I’m always learning about myself and my game and what I need to work on, so I feel like I am slowly building, which is always good. Getting the win for Fed Cup brought my overall feeling a lot higher. My goal is to be top 100 by Wimbledon.”
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