By JARROD POTTER
THE first steps towards the Australian Open start this week for Keysborough tennis player Azra Hadzic – taking part in the Australian Open 2014 Wildcard Play-off.
Hadzic, 19, will take to Melbourne Park today to take on New South Wales’ sixth seed Monique Adamczak in the first round of the play-offs.
Yesterday’s (Monday) first day of action was rained out at Melbourne Park.
Hadzic, currently 355 in the world in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, has carried strong form throughout the winter and spring seasons – winning the Cairns International over Jessica Moore 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in September as well as tournament victories in Grafton and Cobram.
The start of her 2013 tennis year was also impeccable as Hadzic clinched the Blackburn Kia Melbourne Open 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 over Nives Baric in January.
The Australian Open runs from 13-26 January.
