Melbourne dad stars in AO 1 Point Slam amateurs vs pros showdown, Omar Jasika wins

A tennis amateur who entered the Aus Open’s newest tournament to give his terminally ill father the chance “to watch me one more time” won over the crowd, as a young pro from Melbourne won the title.

Samantha Landy

@SamLandy

5 min read

January 9, 2025 - 3:43PM

Aussie amateurs hope for faults, injuries in pro match-up

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A dad from Airport West who entered the Australian Open’s newest tournament to give his terminally ill father the chance “to watch me one more time” has fallen agonisingly short of claiming the title.

Paul Fitzgerald, 56, was one of 16 amateur tennis players from across the nation selected to play in AO 1 Point Slam – a grand slam-first initiative that pitted club and community players against 16 stars on the global circuit as part of AO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun.

These included world No.9 Andrey Rublev, Poland’s fast-serving top-ranked man Hubert Hurkacz, and former world No.4 Iva Majoli of Croatia, who upset Martina Hingis to win the French Open in 1997.

The tournament on Kia Arena comprised 31 “matches” each decided by one point – the player who won it progressed to the next round, while their opponent was knocked out.

AO 1 Point Slam winner Omar Jasika and highest-placed amateur player Paul Fitzgerald, 56 from Airport West. Picture: David Caird

Fitzgerald eliminated three pros – Australians Dane Sweeny, Alex Bolt and Matthew Dellavedova – with sublime serving before falling to Australian Priscilla Hon in the semi-final.

Hon was then defeated by a fellow Aussie – world No.180 Omar Jasika, from Clarinda in Melbourne’s southeast – in the final.

Fitzgerald – a former junior tennis player who gave up the sport at age 17 before getting back into it 30 years later when his children started playing – said it was “surreal” to play pros at Melbourne Park, especially when the crowd started chanting his name.

“(I applied because) my dad’s not very well at the moment, he’s got cancer stage four,” he said. “He’s always coached me, we’ve always played veterans doubles together.

“I was hoping to get him here today to watch me one last time, but unfortunately he’s in St Vincent’s Hospital at the moment getting radiotherapy (and) he wasn’t the best, so they couldn’t wheel him in.

“I’ve parked the car at St Vincent’s, so I’ll go back there and tell him all about it. He’ll be very chuffed.”

The 16 pros and 16 amateurs who competed in 1 Point Slam. Picture: David Caird

Fitzgerald said he “didn’t expect to win too many points” and was “lucky to get a few serves in (to be) in business”. He rates his serve among his best shots because, being ambidextrous, he can fire them down on both sides and move the ball both ways.

Jasika said Fitzgerald served “three absolute rockets to win the first three points”.

“I didn’t want to play him,” he said.

The 27-year-old said the tournament was a great tune-up ahead of his Australian Open main draw campaign, and the $60,000 prize money would be invaluable going “back into my tennis”.

“I did not think I had a chance. There were a lot of good players in the draw, but I took it point by point,” he said.

“I’m super happy to get this win, (it was an) amazing event.”

Omar Jasika took home $60,000 in prize money. Picture: David Caird

Fitzgerald won four tickets to the Australian Open women’s final, supplied by event partner the Herald Sun, for being the last amateur standing.

One other grassroots player – 35-year-old Nelson Parker from the ACT – managed to knock out a pro, pulling off a classy serve and volley to send Brazil’s world No.76 Thiago Seyboth Wild packing.

The others included a former ballkid who high-fived Novak Djokovic, a 72-year-old who returned to tennis after a 40-year injury hiatus, and three teenagers – the youngest aged just 15.

Top seeds Rublev and Hurkacz exited the tournament by serving faults into the net. Amateurs got two serves per point, while the pros only got one.

Also lining up for the pros were Ukraine’s world No.100 Yuliia Starodubtseva and 11 Aussies including world No.91 Adam Walton, 2024 Wimbledon qualifier Alex Bolt and AO men’s doubles champion Jason Kubler.

Andrey Rublev high-fives amateur players before the tournament. Picture: David Caird

Poland's Hubert Hurkacz was among the international pros on the line up. Picture: Steve Christo/AFP

Croatian tennis player Iva Majoli – pictured competing in the French Open final in 1997 – was also among the 16 pros.

To be chosen for the tournament, amateurs had to answer the question “why should you have the chance to take on a pro in the AO 1 Point Slam?” in 25 words or less.

Twelve of the chosen competitors were from Victoria, and the remaining four travelled to Melbourne Park from NSW, WA and the ACT.

They included 15-year-old Noah Pociask from Port Macquarie, NSW, 17-year-old Naima Luthra from Beaumaris in Melbourne and 18-year-old Paige Williamson from the town of Wundowie in WA.

Noah said in his entry: “Playing Aus Open is a dream of mine. Would love the opportunity to play at Melbourne Park against my idols”, while Paige wrote: “It’s an amazing opportunity as someone who hasn’t had many opportunities, living in the Pilbara for seven years and only starting tennis at age 12.”

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Blackburn’s Bruce Saunders was the oldest competitor at age 72. He said he had a Victorian ranking as a junior before a shoulder injury ended his career.

“Shoulder problem solved, (I’m) back after 40 years playing senior masters singles tournaments,” he said.

Other 1 Point Slam players were:

Former ballkid Olivia Quigley, 24, of Shepparton, who said her “regional roots tennis began at (age) five, to (being) a ballkid giving Djokovic high fives” and now her dream was to go pro;

Chirnside Park tennis coach Kelsey Bail, 32, who hoped to “inspire my students” and give back to her club; and,

Mt Waverley’s Andrew Carter, 37, who pledged to donate the $60,000 to his home club of 25-plus years, MCC Glen Iris Valley, if he won.

Zahra Arthur of Beaumaris Tennis Club, pictured alongside fellow grassroots tennis player Nenyasha Manzvera of the Royal South Yarra Tennis Club, will take on pros at Melbourne Park on January 9. Picture: Tennis Australia/Fiona Hamilton

AO boss Craig Tiley labelled the event “a celebration of the millions of Australians who love tennis and compete at the grassroots level”.

“It’s for anyone who’s ever wondered what it’s like to face a top player, or feel the pressure of serving for the match in a packed arena,” he said.

Entrants had to hold a Competitive Player Profile and have an active Universal Tennis Rating of 4.0 or higher.

AO Opening Week ground passes cost $15 for adults and $10 for kids, and are available via Ticketmaster.

samantha.landy@news.com.au