Dale’s ‘hard work paying off’ with Burnie International wildcard

A Hobart teenager’s brilliant recent form has been rewarded with a Burnie International wildcard. And she wants to draw a high seed to get the best experience possible after her junior success.

Alicia Dale has received a wildcard into the Burnie International. Picture: Chris Kidd

Alicia Dale’s barnstorming run of results in Tasmania’s tennis season has given her belief she can hold her own at the next level after her success was rewarded with a Burnie International wildcard.

The Hobart 17-year-old earned her place in the draw of this week’s $30,000 ITF35 event after winning the Launceston Junior International, making the final of the Burnie Junior International and the semis of last weeks’ 20k Tasmanian Championships in Devonport.

“The past few weeks have been good to see where I’m at nationally,” Dale said.

“To get to the finals of a couple of them was really good, and it feels like my hard work is paying off.

“I wasn’t completely unsure (where I stood), I knew where I was sitting with my rankings but sometimes that can be unreliable.

“But just playing at the high level was really good and I got a bit more clarity. I have more confidence to put that into my game so I can play at these high level events.”

Dale declared she’d love to be drawn a high seeded opponent stepping up to the senior ranks in Burnie.

“To play Burnie is going to be a really good experience in the transition from juniors to women, to see how they play,” she said.

“Playing at this level will be good exposure for me to see where I’m at and see the areas I need to improve to fully transition into women.

“I’ve kind of said because this is just for experience and I’m not expecting anything, if I was to get someone I may as well just get the no.1 seed.

“Obviously the players are all really good, but I think the top seed (Japanese world no.185 Kyoka Okamura) is inside the top 200 on tour. One of the top few will be unreal to see how they play.”

Alicia Dale and Escher Case-Boag before this year’s Hobart International. Picture: Linda Higginson

A good gauge of how last year’s Australia Cup winner is able to adjust and improve her game was her ability to bounce back from a dominant 6-1 6-0 defeat to Sarah Mildren in the Burnie juniors final, before turning the tables in three sets in the Launceston decider.

“At Burnie she played really well and I couldn’t do much,” Dale said.

“With my coach afterwards I was working on tactics and things I could do better. We were working through that so next time I played her I knew what to do.

“The next week it just panned out I played her again, and I started implementing that into my game and playing to her weaknesses.”

The Launceston International makes its return after a hiatus on February 24, and Dale is hopeful of also playing there.

“We’ll see how we go this week,” she said.

“Hopefully I can get a wildcard into there as well, but we’ll see how it plays out.”