Olivia Gadecki took the Australian Open by storm in 2023 following her wildcard main draw victory. While fans hope that their compatriot can enrich the nations with triumphant results in their home Slam this season, years after Ash Barty recorded her win in the event’s 2022 edition, Gadecki, an Aussie or not, is still a human at the end of the day and he struggles are quite evident in her recent confession.

Like many players, including countryman Nick Kyrgios, Gadecki also feels homesickness. In 2023, the Aussie young gun stunned everyone at the Rod Laver Arena after recording her opening-round victory over Russian qualifier Polina Kudermetova in a thrilling 7-5, 6-1 showcase. She was one of only five Australians competing in the ‘Happy Slam’ following Barty’s retirement, topped with local Alja Tomljanovic‘s withdrawal on Saturday and Daria Saville recovering from a second ACL setback. That number came down to four after 18-year-old wildcard Talia Gibson lost to Frenchwoman Clara Burel in straight sets.

This year, though the WTA Aussie players are yet to face resistance, the draw on the men’s side took a massive hit after home favorite Kyrgios suffered a straight-set defeat by Briton Jacob Fearnley, 18 months after marking his comeback at a Slam. The controversial Aussie star has often voiced his thoughts on feeling homesick owing to hectic calendar commitments. “I’m struggling with it, to be honest. I think a big part of me would love to just be home with my girlfriend and see our families and have that comfortable type of lifestyle,” said Kyrgios before going on an injury hiatus after the 2022 US Open.

Struggling with similar concerns, Gadecki spoke about the hardships of being a full-time touring professional and noted how leaving her family behind is always a tough decision to ABS News (Australia). “Right now I’ve been away for quite a few months, 8-9 months and there are many moments where it’s quite uncomfortable like I’m missing my family, I’m missing my home, missing things that you know make me feel comfortable.”

“I don’t get to visit home much throughout the year and I’m training in another country, started with a new coach, so many different things that contribute to that uncomfortable feeling. Traveling alone, I feel like that’s quite uncomfortable too,” she added. For those unaware, her poignant admission reflects how Australian players substantially suffer more than other players due to the massive travel distance, resulting in exhaustion.

“It’s hard being from Australia because we can’t travel back and forth. There’s a lot of things people don’t see. They don’t understand the challenges that I face or what people on tour face, what’s going on in their personal lives,” said Kyrgios on the matter in 2022. Before taking up her AO opening round date, fans should know that Gadecki’s road to success wasn’t a one-man journey.

Olivia Gadecki credits her mother Natalia’s sacrifice for her career

Parents play a vital role in players’ lives as they tend to manage and compartmentalize their financial and emotional affairs. While the road to turning pro isn’t easy, Olivia Gadecki’s mother Natalie helped ease the journey by sacrificing and putting enormous efforts into her tennis career.

After winning her first-round showcase in the Australian Open 2023, Gadecki praised her mother saying: “My mum has put in a lot of time, sacrifice, and dedication into my career, so I’m really happy we can share that moment together. [She] means so much to me. I look up to her in every sort of way, and without her, I wouldn’t be here today, so I’m just eternally grateful for her time and sacrifice.”

Gadecki will lock horns with Russian Veronika Kudermetova for a place in the second round of the ‘Happy Slam’ on Wednesday, January 15. Are you backing the local star to pull off a few upsets in the tournament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.