HORSHAM tennis player Steffi McDonald was named in the Australian Merit team at the completion of the Pizzey Cup and the Australian Cup Singles Championships on Saturday.
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Steffi, 17, was part of a 16-person Victorian team that finished fourth overall in the week-long competition.
She also competed in the individual girls singles championship and made it to the quarter finals.
“I did a lot better than I expected going in,” Steffi said.
“I was just hoping to get past the first round because then I was coming up against seeded players.”
In round one, she beat Olivia Massingham 6-1, 6-1 within an hour but she had to fight harder to progress through the next rounds.
A 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 against number nine seed Luna Jokanovic in the second round was followed by a 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 win against the number eight seed Yasmin Glazbrook in the third round.
In the quarter final Steffi faced number one seed Monique Burton but came up short in a straight sets 7-5, 6-1 loss. Burton went on to lose in the final.
Steffi’s performance was more impressive given she was a bottom-age player.
She said it was her fitness that helped her do well.
“I played patiently and waited for good opportunities to attack or let my opponents make mistakes,” she said.
“The grass courts also suit my style of play.”
Steffi did not have a lot of time to prepare for the cups after being selected to play in early April.
The Victorian team met just once before the cups with players left to prepare individually.
Steffi said it was an exciting opportunity.
Her mum Cecilia said before the competition they did not even realise players would be picked for a national team based on individual performances.
“We certainly weren’t expecting it,” she said.
“We are very proud of her.
“It is more difficult for regional players to gauge where they sit among players there own age so this goes to show we are heading in the right direction.”
A short term goal for Steffi is to play college tennis in the United States and in the recent months she signed with an agency.
“It is exciting times,” Cecilia said.
Steffi was one of four Victorian’s selected in the Australian Merit team.
It is not yet known whether the team will play in a competition or if its simply an honour.
