Sarah Oliver
Not many people can say they knew what they wanted to be when they grew up at three and a half years – but Caroline Springs tennis player Elena Micic can.
“That was when I first started hitting,” she said.
“And then by the age of five I was training every day practically…I started fitness as well at a young age.”
The 17-year-old hasn’t stopped since then, and this year got the chance to show off her skills at her first junior grand slam at the 2022 Australian Open.
“I was just really happy and content with how far I’ve come and just thinking about where I started and how it’s all progressed and how it’s finally got to this stage,” she said.
Micic won both of her qualifying matches, the first being against fellow Australian 17-year-old Piper Freeman where Micic won 6-3 6-1.
Her second qualifying match was against 16-year-old Malwina Rowinska from Poland where she won 4-6 6-2 6-4.
But Micic didn’t get past the first round of the main draw, losing to 15-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko 4-6 2-6.
“I don’t think I played to my full ability, but it was a really different experience for me,” she said.
“It was a good atmosphere with people supporting you and having family and friends watching…it’s just completely different to any other tournament I’ve played.”
Despite not making it past the first round, Micic saw fellow Australians continue on.
Zara Larke, Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz and Taylah Preston made it to round two, but Kempenaers-Pocz was the only one to keep going.
She played Tereza Valentova from the Czech Republic and won 7-6 0-6 7-6.
But the 17-year-old didn’t make it past the quarter finals, losing out to Belgium Sofia Costoulas 4-6 1-6.
Croatian Petra Marcinko won the title against Costoulas 7-5 6-1.
Earlier this year, Micic played at the J1 Traralgon 2022 Tournament, where she had a similar track record.
She was successful in her qualifying rounds, winning against Australian 14-year-old Audrey Aulia 6-0 6-3 and against 17-year-old Italian Federica Urgesi 6-2 6-7 10-8.
But the first round of the main draw saw Micic lose out to 17-year-old Brazilian Ana Candiotto.
At 13-years-old, Micic began playing in International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments and travelled in Oceania and Asia.
She also played in Serbia where her family is originally from.
“I really enjoyed it. I just love the atmosphere there and just playing there is different to here,” she said.
Growing up, Micic said she idolised tennis legend Maria Sharapova who she still looks up to when it comes to the game.
Although the teenager still has her final year of school left, Micic is sure she wants to make tennis her career.
“I just love competing…it all relies on you. However far you go or whatever you do it’s all up to you…so I just like problem solving and competing.
“So I just really enjoy that. And fighting to win on the court.”
