By EWEN McRAE: emcrae@mmpgroup.com.au
SUCCESS at the majors might be eluding Marinko Matosevic, but at Dandenong Tennis Club he’ll always be a big deal.
Matosevic was bundled out of Wimbledon in the first round last
week, making it 10 first-round defeats from as many major appearances.
But his first coach at Dandenong is convinced he has plenty in him to go further.
“He’s had some good success in the second-tier tournaments, and he
beat Tommy Robredo last year, so he’s got the talent,” said Ray French,
who coached Matosevic for four years as a junior.
“Sometimes he can be a bit impatient and go for the wrong shot but he’s still doing very well.”
Matosevic, the world No. 72, lost 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Frenchman Guillaume Rufin on the opening day of Wimbledon.
SEE: Dandenong’s Marinko Matosevic out in Wimbledon first round
French said that when he began coaching Matosevic as a 10-year-old
at Dandenong, he never expected to see him on the world stage.
“He came down in grade 6 and he was always very keen, a very competitive boy,” French recalls.
“He obviously had some talent, but I wouldn’t have thought he’d get to where he’s got.
“He left for greener pastures when he was 14 or 15, and next thing you know he’s popping up on the professional circuit.”
Despite his status as Australia’s third-highest ranked male,
Matosevic occasionally visits his old Dandenong club for a hit and to
meet coaches and juniors.
“He was down there not long ago with a bag of balls practising, and he always speaks to everybody,” French said.
“There’s a big sign of him down at the club, and newspaper
articles pinned up, and kids often point it out and ask ‘who’s that?’ so
it’s really good for the juniors to see that sort of stuff.”
