By Bill Roumeliotis.
Despina Papamichail and Valentini Grammatikopoulou have learned their opponents for the Australian Open qualifiers, where they will go into battle on Tuesday.
Papamichail will play against the top-ranked player in her qualifying group, Hungarian Reka Luca Jani, No.10 on the board and No.112 in the world ranking.
If she manages to beat Jani, she will play either the Brazilian Carolina Alves or the Serbian Olga Danilovic in the second round.
In the third and final round of qualifying, she meets France’s Clara Burel, No.17 on the board and No.122 in the world.
Grammatikopoulou will face the Spanish Marina Bassols Ribera, No.18 on the board and No.123 in the world ranking.
If she wins, she will play against either Kristina Mladenovic and Maddison Inglis in the second round. In the third and final round she will cross paths with the American Katie Volynets, No.11 on the board and No.113 in the world ranking.
Both Greek tennis players, who were in Sydney until Sunday due to Greece’s United Cup commitments, will make their Australian Open debuts on Tuesday.
In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, Despina said she’s looking forward to the qualifiers.
”I am in Melbourne, carrying experiences and successes from the United Cup, where I was a member of the Greek team that reached the top four teams of the United Cup,” Despina said.
“I am participating for the second year in a row in the qualifying phase of the Australian Open, where last year I was eliminated from the round… But this year I believe that I will have a better course as with my new coach Ortega Olmedo, I have improved a lot in the last six months and I believe it will come to me on Tuesday.
“I have faced my next opponent Reka Luca Jani several years ago, she beat me, but since then a lot has changed and I believe that now I am in a better position.
“I want the Greek fans near me to come to the game, to support me and celebrate my success together.”
