The 21-year-old giant-killer who just banked $370,000 in three weeks
You might still be in a post-Australian Open slumber and not have heard. Australia has a 21-year-old tennis player who spent March beating five top-20 opponents.
Her name is Talia Gibson, a hyper-aggressive, highly talented baseliner who now counts Jasmine Paolini, Naomi Osaka, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Iva Jovic and Clara Tauson among her scalps.
Gibson slashed her ranking from No.112 to a career-best 56 in a productive three-week stretch at Indian Wells and Miami. After toppling dual grand slam finalist Paolini to reach the Indian Wells Masters quarter-finals, she told reporters she was “speechless”.
Czech star Linda Noskova ended Gibson’s run there, but it took her three sets.
Gibson proved she was not a flash in the pan, blitzing world No.41 Sara Bejlek, four-time major champion Osaka and Jovic without dropping a set to make the last 16 at the Miami Masters before losing to Australian Open winner Elena Rybakina.
“It’s been a very eventful last few weeks, very exciting times, and I’m super proud of what I achieved,” Gibson told this masthead.
“I’m still processing it all, and I will still be processing for a little while, but I’m really happy with the position I’m now in – a lot of doors have opened for me.”
Gibson hasn’t bought herself anything yet as a reward, but has taken a peek at her bank account, which received a $370,000 boost. But incredibly, she was one point from none of it happening.
Gibson was twice match point down in Indian Wells qualifying to 157th-ranked American Elvina Kalieva, only to escape and reach the main draw.
The West Australian rallied from the same scenario in Wimbledon qualifying last year, earning her first shot at Osaka. She lost that one, but it was a valuable learning experience. This year’s Australian Open provided two more lessons that helped unlock her feats on the American hard-courts.
Billie Jean King Cup tie: Australia v Great Britain
DAY ONE (FRIDAY) SINGLES
- Talia Gibson (AUS) v Mika Stojsavljevic (GB)
- Kimberly Birrell v Harriet Dart (GB)
DAY TWO (SATURDAY)
- Doubles: Storm Hunter/Ellen Perez (AUS) v Harriet Dart/Jodie Burrage (GB)
- Singles: Talia Gibson (AUS) v Harriet Dart (GB), Kimberley Birrell (AUS) v Mika Stojsavljevic (GB)
Gibson was jangling with nerves on the eve of her first-round match at Melbourne Park, wanting to perform well almost too much.
Gibson’s coach, Jarrad Bunt, who started working with her in November, noticed how anxious she was.
What followed was an error-strewn last training session before playing Russia’s Anna Blinkova. She was already due to catch up with her sports psychologist, but it was timely.
“I remember that quite vividly. There are always a lot of nerves leading up to your home slam,” Gibson said.
“A lot of people come out to support you, and it’s a pretty big occasion for Australians. I just got in my head a little bit, and built it up too much. I wasn’t able to enjoy that last practice session before playing my first round the next day.”
That chat with her sports psychologist was about putting everything into perspective. One ordinary training session did not mean she was a bad player, or that she would not play well against Blinkova.
In fact, Gibson flayed 43 winners to Blinkova’s five in a 76-minute cakewalk to book a meeting with then-world No.22 Diana Shnaider. Everything was going well again, with Gibson a set and 5-4 up.
Three match points came and went on Shnaider’s serve. The Russian survived, flipping the script on Gibson. Another heart-to-heart conversation followed, this time with Bunt.
It was, at the time, her ninth straight defeat to a top-50 rival since the start of last year.
“She was pretty disappointed after that one,” Bunt said.
“But I just reiterated that, ‘Look, you were so good, and if you hit your forehand cross [court] instead of down the line, you win the match, three and four, against a top-20 player’. She took a lot away from that and realised, ‘Hey, I’m actually right there. I’ve just got to keep putting myself in those positions, and it will turn my way’.”
Bunt’s hunch was right, but even he was surprised at how swiftly it happened.
Gibson’s fortified mindset was no better displayed than in her rematch with Osaka in Miami.
“At that time [at Wimbledon], it was a really big occasion for me, playing someone like her, a multiple grand slam champion. I was quite nervous,” Gibson recalled.
“There were some opportunities that I would have liked to have dealt with differently … but I was much calmer when I played her a couple of weeks ago. I’m a much better player now, and I had a lot more belief.”
Gibson’s always had a red-hot backhand, but Bunt set about upgrading her forehand and making her serve a greater weapon. They have also worked hard on her physicality and movement.
Bunt is convinced Gibson can crack the top 20.
She does not see herself as an overnight success. For Gibson, she has improved “inch by inch”, physically and mentally.
Former world No.8 Alicia Molik can see the changes. She first came across a 15-year-old Gibson when they were on opposite teams in Tennis West’s state league competition.
Molik remembers Gibson being a clean ball-striker who could generate easy power, but that she let her emotions get the better of her. She wasn’t certain, then, that Gibson was destined for great things.
“I’m a pretty bad judge, aren’t I?” Molik said, laughing.
“So much has to happen, not just in tennis, but in someone’s life, to give them the platform to even begin on the professional tour, let alone succeed. But everything’s pointing in the right direction, and she’s got so much upside.”
Gibson is back at Melbourne Park this week to spearhead Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup team against Great Britain, alongside Kim Birrell, Emerson Jones and doubles specialists Storm Sanders and Ellen Perez, in Maya Joint’s injury absence.
“It’s an honour to be selected again. Playing for your country is one of the greatest things you’ll ever be able to do,” she said.
“I’m not putting any pressure on myself. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, so I’m over the moon and couldn’t be prouder.”
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