Casey Dellacqua and her partner Amanda celebrated the birth of their son Blake three weeks ago, leaving Dellacqua with more to play for, rather than any plans to compete and travel less.
Her US Open singles campaign ended in Tuesday’s first round, but doubles remains, through the world No.15’s eighth-seeded partnership with Ashleigh Barty, and mixed, with her French Open-winning partner, American Scott Lipsky.
What has been a mixed year in some respects has also been a momentous one for the 28-year-old. Parenthood is the priority now, and the popular Western Australian is loving it.
If anything, I don’t know, it makes me a bit more motivated, because I’ve got something to play for. I’m out there for my family now.
“I think you see a lot of players out on tour with families, and I’m still motivated, and I’ll make it work, we’ll make it work as best as we can, and hopefully they’ll be able to do a bit of travel, and we can get him a passport and introduce him to the tour,” Dellacqua said after her 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 loss to fellow qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic, a strong-serving 20-year-old from Croatia.
“If anything, I don’t know, it makes me a bit more motivated, because I’ve got something to play for. I’m out there for my family now, and it’s been an exciting time. Tennis has always been something that I’m passionate about, but it’s not everything to me. It’s an elite sport, but there’s so much more to life and, for me, that’s what life’s about – about family – so I’ll try and make it work.”
Dellacqua suffered serious shoulder and then foot injuries the year after reaching the fourth round at the 2008 Australian Open, and cutting her ranking to a career-best 39th.
She is healthy again, but took unofficial family leave between Wimbledon, where she and Barty reached their second grand slam doubles final of the season, and the US Open, where she was disappointed not to convert an encouraging run through qualifying and a bright 4-0 start into an overdue first tour-level victory of the season.
While her doubles ranking has soared, she is labouring at 184th in singles, although there are no plans as yet to specialise.
“Obviously we’ve had a lot of success in doubles, and it’s hard when your doubles ranking goes to 15 and your singles is lagging behind, because it’s hard to put a good schedule together where you feel like you’re focusing on one thing,” she said.
“But I wouldn’t take back those finals that Ash and I have played, and all the doubles results back for anything. I’m still motivated to play singles, and I’m still really keen and want to improve, so that’s kind of where I’m at, and I want to continue to play, so I’ll try and put a good schedule together.”
With, now, another – very important – element to factor in. “I’m loving motherhood, it’s great,” she beamed.
“I think you all know I’m pretty normal, so my whole thing in life is family, and it’s been a really exciting time for me, and it was my time just to be at home, and to be with my family, and it was the best time that I’ve had at home for a long time, and most exciting, so it’s awesome… And now I’m back playing, I’m back to work and, yeah, we’ll go from there.”
Photo: AFP
Author: Linda Pearce
Publication:The Age
Date: 28 August 2013