Live stream: Tori Russell on the secret behind toppling top seed at Junior Claycourt Championships

The sacrifice and secrets behind young Queenslanders shock win over the top seed at the Australian Junior Claycourt Championships.

There is a stretch of the M1 highway so well worn by the Russell family, they should get to write their names in the asphalt the next time it is laid.

But their bi-weekly drives from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, and back again, have paid off in a big way after daughter Tori Russell pulled off a shock upset to enter Saturday’s semi-finals at the Australian Claycourt Championships.

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Russell, who took out the Under-12s title last year before making the step up to Under-14s this season, shocked the tournament by knocking out top seed NSW Brooke Komorowksi in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Tori Russell (QLD) during the 2024 12U and 14U Australian Claycourt Championships at Tennis World in Lyneham, Canberra. Picture: Anastasia Kachalova/Tennis Australia

The young gun said she had circled the match up with Komorowski from the minute the tournament bracket was released, and credited a decision to skip a lead-in junior tour event and instead spend the time going up and down the M1 as key to her triumph.

“I feel confident and I feel in rhythm with my game, I feel like I am at my best,” Russell said.

“I knew I was able to take down the first seed, once I saw the draw. I had enough confidence in my preparation. I knew I could but I didn’t know that I would.

“Leading up to this event, I didn’t play the 500 Signature tournament (ACT Championships) because last year I did that and by the last day (of the nationals) I was injured. This year I got stuck into my training instead and really tried to improve my game and get my feel for the ball, almost as if I had played the tournament.

“I went up to the clay courts in Brisbane and I hit on those courts to get my feel on the clay with my timing, sliding and movement patterns. I went up there five times in two weeks and just worked through the sessions with Tennis Queensland.”

It added to the already heavy travel burden on the Gold Coast athlete who travels to Brisbane once a week for training, while younger sister Kira also travels to Brisbane once a week – on a different day.

Tennis sisters (from left) Kira and Tori Russell have always shown plenty of ability. This pic of the pair from 2020. Picture: Supplied.

“We owe (our parents) a bit,” Tori said. “I think they care a lot for me and my sister and they make so many sacrifices for us and our sport.

“They have been really supportive of everything we do.”

Russell will play seventh seed Pavitar Pansi in the semi-finals, while second seed Emilie Chen remains alive on the other side of the draw and will face third seed Bhavya Bhardwaj.

Originally published as Live stream: Tori Russell on the secret behind toppling top seed at Junior Claycourt Championships