Andrew Coelho is on the hunt for an Australian Open singles wildcard after winning his first Futures tournament on Sunday. Picture: Luke Plummer.By Marc McGowan
AFTER an eight-month stay in Europe, Endeavour Hills tennis professional Andrew Coelho claimed his first Futures title in Happy Valley, South Australia, on Sunday.
Coelho, 20, arrived in Victoria last month and went straight back into tournament mode, competing jetlagged in the Futures event at Traralgon.
Little-known journeyman Strahinja Bobusic subsequently bundled him out in straight sets in the first round to deliver an unhappy homecoming.
But the Australian Institute of Sport star knew he was in good form and was back in action a week later in Happy Valley.
Coelho had a pair of comfortable victories first-up, but then came the acid test – 2006 Australian Open junior finalist and Tralagon winner Nick Lindahl.
The match-up was a boilover, however, with Coelho trumping his teenage opponent 6-3, 6-4.
Another straight-sets success over fellow Victorian Joe Sirianni advanced the local star to the final and a showdown with Barbadian Haydn Lewis.
As with his earlier contests, Coelho had little trouble, and dispatched Lewis 6-4, 6-1.
“Before coming home, I was playing in France and doing quite well and beating some good players on hardcourt,” the left-hander said.
“So I was hoping I’d come home and have some good results. I played really well last week.”
Coelho has also won four doubles titles this year, including two in a row in Uzbekistan and France over August and September.
Making the individual triumph even more significant was that most of his major rivals for an Australian Open singles wildcard were in attendance.
Coelho received wildcards into the doubles at the nation’s grand slam in 2006 and 2007, and reached the second round last year.
But he has ambitions of taking on the world’s best players on the singles court this time around.
“This year (Peter) Luczak and (Chris) Guccione are straight into the Open (on their rankings),” Coelho said.
“Alun Jones has a good chance, but it will be who performs best over the next few weeks and over summer – anything can happen.
“It would mean heaps, just being from Melbourne and playing in front of my home town. It would be a great experience; I’d love to do it.”
Coelho sits at 386 in the latest world rankings after peaking at 351 last month.
AIS head coach Brent Larkham recently predicted that his charge could be a top-100 player on the men’s tour by the end of next year and Coelho has similar aims.
“My game has improved quite a lot. I’m playing each match the best I can and putting everything into it,” Coelho said.
“It’s just about on-court intensity. I’ve always trained very hard and I’m just working on a few little things in my game.”
Coelho is competing in Adelaide this week and, after a week’s break, will embark on events in Queensland and Tasmania.
“I just want to do well in each tournament coming up and I’ll be trying to do everything right,” he said.
“I’m looking to do well and see how high I can get (in the rankings) before the end of the year.”
The Australian Open Wildcard Playoff is at Melbourne Park next month and Coelho will have high hopes, particularly after reaching the decider in 2005.
