Australian Open Update: Matt Ebden to play first match on Margaret Court Arena

After an impressive start to 2011, Matt Ebden will play today’s first match on Margaret Court Arena at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Ebden’s opponent will be American Michael Russell, an experienced competitor who made his Grand Slam debut at the 1998 US Open and has gone on to play in 18 additional majors.

A first round match against Russell is a much kinder draw than what Ebden drew in 2010 when he played flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils.

However, Ebden is well aware of Russell’s experience and knows that it will be a tough match.

"I don't think it's one of the better draws ... the guy I'm playing has been a good player for many years," Ebden said.

"But he's getting a bit older now, so hopefully I can be the young guy who knocks him off.

"He knows what he's doing out there. He'll be tough to overcome, but it'll be a good test for me."

Ebden’s performances over the past month, which included a quarter final appearance against current world #4 Robin Soderling at the Brisbane International has drawn significant praise from Australian tennis greats in John Newcombe, Wally Masur and Lleyton Hewitt, who all believe that the West Australian has the game, and the work ethic, to be a top 40 player.

Ebden’s match against Russell will get underway at 11am AEST on Margaret Court Arena, a venue that will also play host to a number of other Australian players later in the afternoon including Alicia Molik and  Anastasia Rodionova.

Margaret Court, the player whom the venue is named after, and someone who has offered advice and assistance to Ebden throughout his career so far, will be in attendance along with the patriotic Australian crowd.

Matt Ebden receives Australian Open Wildcard

Matt Ebden will this afternoon be confirmed by Tennis Australia as a recipient of a wildcard for direct entry in to next month’s Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Ebden has enjoyed a consistent season throughout 2010 in a year that has seen him reach a career high ranking of 162 in the world, establish himself in the Australian Davis Cup squad and also qualify for his first Grand Slam main draw appearance at the Australian Open.

At the Australian Open Wildcard Playoff event prior to Christmas, Ebden lost a tight semi-final in a deciding third set tiebreak to Australian #2 Peter Luczak, with Luczak having to save off four match points to defeat his younger opponent.

While the wildcard now gives the West Australian finality as to the tournaments he will play throughout January, he is taking nothing for granted and is looking forward to a strong showing throughout the Australian summer.

"It's a massive honour and achievement in itself to receive the wildcard, and to be recognised and to be believed in by people who have been at the top of the game is something quite special," Ebden said.

"But quite honestly, my mind set sort of clicks straight over to thinking, 'Alright, well I've been given a start, now I have to go on with it'."

Ebden will kick-start his 2011 season at the Brisbane International, the same tournament where he qualified for the main draw in 2010 and went on to defeat Austrian Jurgen Melzer, a player who went on to end the year at world No. 11.

He will use his improvement and experience from 2010 to set his sights on a bigger 2011 season.

"For me 2011 starts this week with Brisbane and to be honest, for me, the goal at these tournaments is to win them and that's what I've been working on with my coach," he said.

"That's where Australians want to see their players in these tournaments, they want to see them winning, they don't want to see them just in the first round.

"Come Australian Open time, with a wildcard I'll be fresh going in there, then you've got it all to play for and if I can put my best on the park, round after round, I'm confident I can match it and beat many of the guys who will be in the draw.

"It's just about getting out there and doing it.

"So I think I'm ready for it, I'm ready to get stuck in there and show my true potential."

Regular updates of all Ebden’s matches and progress will be posted to Facebook and Twitter. Ebden can also be followed via his personal Twitter account @mattebden to keep track of his latest thoughts.

For more on Ebden’s Australian Open wildcard, read his exclusive interview with PerthNow published earlier this morning.

Gold medallist Alana Boyd joins Sam Maxwell Sports Management

Commonwealth Games Pole Vault gold medallist Alana Boyd has become the latest Australian track and field star to join the Sam Maxwell Sports Management stable.

The multiple National Champion, Olympic and World Championships representative secured the gold in Delhi with a leap of 4.40m, a height below her personal best of 4.56m.

Alana’s victory completed a unique piece of Australian athletics history with both her parents also having won Commonwealth Games gold medals. Her father and former coach Ray won the Pole Vault in 1982, and her mother Denise was victorious in the 200m in 1978.

It is the first time that two parents and a sibling have achieved this feat in track and field at major international level.

Originally from Queensland, Alana made the move to Perth in October of 2009 to train under Western Australian Institute of Sport Pole Vault coach Alex Parnov. While it was a difficult decision to move away from family and friends the move has appeared to thus far be a success.

“Alex has proven himself as arguably the best pole vault coach in the world,” Alana said of Parnov’s reputation. “He has taken the likes of Dmitri Markov, Kym Howe, Paul Burgess and now Steve Hooker to achieve amazing feats at world, Olympic and Commonwealth Games level.

“I wanted to be the best that I can be, and to make sure I get the most out of myself I needed to be with Alex and his coaching squad.”

Alana has now returned to full training since the Commonwealth Games. She will compete in the newly revamped Australian Athletics Season early next year where she will set her sights upon qualification for the 2011 World Championships in Daegu.

It is exciting to work with an athlete of Alana’s calibre and experience, and I look forward to more gold medal performances over the coming years!

Michael “the Emu” Freiberg to ride International Track Cycling Grand Prix this weekend

Australian cyclist Michael Freiberg, the newest edition to the Sam Maxwell Sports Management stable will be looking to burn up the track tomorrow evening at the Chevron Australia, 2010 Perth International Track Cycling Grand Prix.

The event will see the Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist alongside fellow Australian representatives in Cameron & Travis Meyer, Josie Tomic, Melissa Hoskins, Sarah Kent, Jack Bobridge, and Scott Sunderland. Joining the Australians are a host of world class international riders from the USA, Canada, The Netherlands, South Africa, Lithuania, China, the Philippines, as well as a full-strength German team that includes the Union Cyclist International No. 1 ranked sprinter, Tobias Wachter.

The Grand Prix will be the first time that Perth will be able to see Freiberg and the whole Australian Track Cycling team in action since its dominant performance at the Games.

A packed crowd is expected at the Speeddome with the few remaining tickets available for purchase through Ticketmaster.

Doors open at 4.30pm with qualifying starting at 5pm. Finals will begin at 7pm before an expected finishing time of 10.30pm. Additional information is available from VenuesWest.

On a lighter note, Freiberg will be pleased that tomorrow’s race is indoors and not in the hills of Mundaring where he was last week attacked by an Emu while training.

Originally posted on Twitter, the story appeared in The Sunday Times last week with Freiberg declaring that it was “the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me on a bike”.

“I was out training through Mundaring and I was climbing up through the weir and the emu ran out of the bushes behind me. It started running up the road behind me,” he said.

“I started sprinting and looking behind and it crossed the road and disappeared into the bushes. I’ve seen kangaroos before, but I didn’t even think there were emus out there”.

Given his height, size and speed, the name Michael “Emu” Freiberg seems to have stuck!

Gold medallist Michael Freiberg joins Sam Maxwell Sports Management

Exciting Australian cyclist Michael Freiberg today became the latest Delhi Commonwealth Games medallist to join the Sam Maxwell Sports Management stable.

A powerfully built cyclist with a strong engine, Freiberg has enjoyed an impressive junior career that boasts numerous national championships alongside multiple international appearances.

In 2011 he will turn his attention to the American professional racing scene, where he will race as part of the Fly V Australia Pro Cycling Team, with the eventual goal being the Tour de France.

For more on his membership in this team, read the feature published in yesterday’s Sunday Times newspaper.

In Delhi, Freiberg was part of the Australian dominance on the cycling track, where he won a gold medal as a member of the team pursuit. He also won silver in the individual scratch race.

It is exciting to work with such a mature and driven promising young athlete and we look forward to all that lies ahead.

You can follow Freiberg on Twitter or keep up to date with his latest news via the Sam Maxwell Sports Management Facebook Page.

Commonwealth Games Day 9 Podcast

Alex Malcolm and Sam Maxwell take a look at the results and news from Day 9 of the Delhi Commonwealth Games and look ahead to what will happen on Days 10 and 11.

Listen to the episode below, or download the MP3 file.

You can also subscribe to the Podcast here


MP3 File

Matt Ebden speaks with ABC Grandstand at the Commonwealth Games

Australia's Matthew Ebden speaks with ABC Grandstand about his experience at the 2010 Commonwealth Games ahead of his Bronze Medal match against fellow Australian Peter Luczak.

Listen to the interview here, or download the MP3 file:


MP3 File