Polmans looking up to Kyrgios
Marc Polmans is both inspired and a little daunted by the quarter-final charge of fellow Australian teen Nick Kyrgios.
Melbourne VIC, Australia, 26 January 2015 | AAP
Marc Polmans is both inspired and a little daunted by the quarter-final charge of fellow Australian teen Nick Kyrgios.
At 17, Polmans is only two years younger than Kyrgios, but playing in the Australian Open junior boys tournament rather than the men’s draw, feels worlds apart.
He’s hoping that will change before too long.
The young Victorian led the local brigade on Monday at Melbourne Park, booking a third-round berth with a 6-1 6-1 thrashing of Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.
He was joined there by his good mate and doubles partner Jake Delaney, who beat South Korean 15th seed Oh Chan-yeong 6-0 6-2.
Polmans, who made it through to the second round of Australian Open men’s qualifying, said he was happy with his form.
“I got a bit of confidence from a good first-round win (over French 10th seed Corentin Denolly),” Polmans said.
He said he seeing the success of Kyrgios, as well as another Australian teenager Omar Jasika, who won the US Open boys title, made him work harder.
“That’s good inspiration to see those guys doing so well so I’ll keep training hard and maybe one day I’ll be where they are.
“It’s incredible how they’re winning matches in slams when they’re only a bit older than me.”
If Polmans and Delaney make it through their round three matches they will play each other in the quarter-finals.
“It will be a bit weird playing against each other but at least one of us is guaranteed to make it through to the semis,” Polmans said.”
The Australian girls had a day to forget with the three in action all eliminated.
Seventh seed Naiktha Bainees, who has been troubled by an ankle injury, lost to Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova 6-0 3-6 6-1 while Olivia Tjandramulia was beaten by Japan’s Chihiro Muramatsu 6-4 6-4 and 14-year-old Violet Apisah went down to Anastasia Gasanova 7-5 7-5.