WATCH: Wildcard entrant Kimberly Birrell gets emotional on reception after winning her first-round match at the 2023 Australian Open, says “Living the dream”
Kimberly Birrell got a lucky wildcard entry into the Australian Open 2023 and she is making the most of it.
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Kimberly Birrell (Image Credit: Tennis World)
The first Grand Slam of the season brings every year some inspirational stories. The stories of miraculous returns, of epic wins, of massive upsets, of building resilience, but also some stories which have the ability to touch your heart.
Kimberly Birrell whose entry into the main draw of the 2023 Australian Open looked precarious just a few days ago, defeated 2022 Australian Open quarter-finalist Kaia Kanepi in the first round, 3-6, 7(7)-6(4), 6-1. When Venus Williams decided to withdraw her name from the Grand Slam in Down Under, Australian Open organizers gave her entry into main draw of this esteemed event.
The story of Kaia Kanepi is also quite motivating. She emerged from a country which is not known for its tennis culture, Estonia. She is a veteran and a part-time ice-road trucker in her native country and looked like she would emerge victorious in this round before, the Australian made an astounding comeback and won the match.
“I would say that even without this win today it was all worthwhile. I’m doing what I absolutely love … living the dream,” she said in the post-match interview on the court.
Kimberly Birrell will take on Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova in the second round of the Australian Open 2023.
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Stream of hope for Australian tennis fans
With Ash Barty‘s retirement and both Ajla Tomljanovic and Nick Kyrgios withdrawing from the tournament, the mood was quite gloomy for Australian tennis in the Australian Open 2023. However, victories for wildcards Olivia Gadecki and Kimberly Birrell has given many reasons for Australian fans to cheer up and support Australian tennis players.
It was a stupendous victory for the 24-year-old as nobody expected it from her. Kaia Kanepi is much more experienced than her and after losing the first set, it looked like she would bow out easily in front of the World No.32. But she showed immense resilience and made her country proud.
“To be honest, I was trying not to think about it. I knew she was a quality player and I know how deep she has gone in slams. Congrats to her for all the success she’s had, but I’m just so happy that I won today and get to play here again,” she continued.
The results in the tournament have been a mixed-bag for Australian tennis players so far. Both Storm Hunter and Talia Gibson were knocked out yesterday. However, today, Alex de Minaur won his first round match.
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