Three and a half years after almost pulling off a great grand slam upset, Olivia Rogowska feels she’s poised to deliver on her potential.
Now Australia’s No.3 ranked woman behind Samantha Stosur and Casey Dellacqua, Rogowska has set her sights on a breakthrough into the top 100 after pushing herself to a WTA ranking of 114 and gaining a wildcard to the Brisbane International.
One main-draw win at the Queensland Tennis Centre would virtually guarantee her direct entry to the Australian Open and put her on the verge of her immediate 2013 ambition.
“Top 100 is my No.1 goal,” Rogowska said on Thursday. “I’m pretty close and this year I had four matches where, if I would have won, I would have been top 100.”
Rogowska has seen her ranking rise as she’s made a priority of building up her strength in the gym, which has also led to her speed around the court improving markedly.
But overall, it’s been a tough slog for the young Victorian since her 2009 US Open surprise when she led then world No.1 Dinara Safina 3-0 in the third set before falling 6-7 6-2 6-4.
It would have been the first time in 41 years the top seed had fallen in the first round at the US Open.
Rogowska, a first-round winner at this year’s Australian Open before falling to Li Na, still rates the Safina loss the best match she’s played but admits she’s still tormented by the result.
“It was pretty disappointing and, whenever I look back, I still feel disappointed I didn’t close it off,” the 21-year-old said. “But she was world No.1 at the time and there was a reason why she was world No.1.
“It was my first year on tour, 2009, and I was fearless and just went out there swinging.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the ups and downs and it’s made me a much better player now and hopefully I’m a bit more consistent and have less of these massive ups and downs.
“Hopefully the hard work pays off soon.”