Jordan Thompson leans on golfer girlfriend and Lleyton Hewitt to fire his summer tilt
From regular Lleyton Hewitt phone calls to support from his pro golfer girlfriend, Jordan Thompson is doing everything in his power to fulfil his potential after a disastrous last Australian summer.
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Jordan Thompson is doing everything in his power to fulfil his potential.
The 24-year-old has been making regular phone calls to Lleyton Hewitt and leaning on his American pro golfer girlfriend Nelly Korda after a disastrous last Australian summer when he failed to win a single match.
The Sydney-raised right-hander fell to a singles world ranking of 111 in September and the process of recovery began with his childhood idol, Hewitt.
“Lleyton is always there to support me,” said Thompson, currently world No.72.
“He is only a phone call away and I keep in touch if I ever need any advice.
“He tells me to stick it out and he is definitely a person you want on your side.
“Lleyton played for about 20 years, so I guess anything is possible if you’re willing to put in the hard work.”
Korda, the daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, is successful in her own right. Since turning professional in 2016, she has two professional wins on the LPGA tour.
Thompson says her knowledge as a fellow athlete at the highest level is invaluable.
“She definitely gets what it is like,” he said.
“That makes it a little bit easier because they know what it takes to be successful and what it is all about.”
Thompson knows he didn’t perform at his best last year but says he can take heart from his ATP Challenger Tour form.
He recorded the second-most wins in ATP Challenger Tour history in 2018, winning three of the five Challenger finals he contested, in Chennai, Traralgon and Canberra.
“Going back to that level and getting a lot of matches was good for me,” he said.
“I just want to build off last year. If I win a match it is already better than last year.
“But I don’t want to just win one. The year before last I made a quarter-final in Brisbane and won a round at the next tour event, so I want to get back to that.”
Thompson is looking to regain his 2017 form when he beat former world No.1 Andy Murray at Wimbledon and reached a career-best ranking of 63.
Thompson says this is proof he has more to give.
“If you look at the average age of the top 100 players, it is about 29,” he said.
“Guys are playing later in their careers and I’m only 24, so hopefully my best tennis is front of me.
“I’ll keep sticking at it and hopefully I keep getting better and better.”
Thompson has his sights set on performing strongly in front of family and friends at the Sydney International from January 6-12.
After reaching the second round at Olympic Park in 2016 and 2017, he is keen for higher honours this time.
“I definitely want to do better,” said Thompson, who will enter the 2019 Sydney International as a wildcard after qualifying in 2018.
“But last summer I didn’t win a match, so there are no expectations. I’ll just go out and play with no pressure, which will help.
“I really enjoy playing in Sydney. I used to train there as a kid and I also recently trained there, so I’m familiar with the surroundings. It is great to play in your home city.”
Originally published as Jordan Thompson leans on golfer girlfriend and Lleyton Hewitt to fire his summer tilt
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