The Australian Open is in full swing, buzzing with electric energy. Victories are being celebrated with ecstatic cheers, while defeats bring moments of quiet reflection. But amidst all the action on the courts, Donna Vekic’s legendary coach, Pam Shriver is facing an unexpected struggle—off the courts. Shriver is finding herself in an emotional tug-of-war as she watches Vekic rack up sensational wins. Why, you ask? Let’s find out.

Donna Vekic is making some giant strides in Melbourne and has qualified for the third round of the tournament. Her second match turned out to be a little dramatic, as she lost the first set against Harriet Dart. However, she managed to put her claws back into the match and went on to win the remaining two sets to advance further. While her fans watched her play with bated breath, her coach Shriver faced significant challenges to stream the match. 

Taking to X, the 62-year-old commented on a video that highlighted Vekic’s dominant comeback in the match. Shriver wrote, “Watched” match point by point on AO app but could not figure out how to find it streamed in US. You don’t sweat the small stuff in LA atm!! 🙏”

Remember, Shriver could not make it to Melbourne and decided to stay back at her home in Los Angeles to help her friends and family fight the devastating wildfires. Just hours before Vekic’s first match, Shriver shared her situation on X and wrote “With @AustralianOpen start @espn & @DonnaVekic playing later today, I am back in LA helping manage my family’s needs.”  But this is not the only challenge that the American veteran is facing.

Donna Vekic’s match has kept her coach awake and sleep-deprived, quite literally. Sharing the same in yet another post, Shriver wrote, “I have never slept in same room as three rescue cats, but these are unusual times in LA. I am starting at 4:45am because long played  with Donna’s match. Starting at 4:50 am how much sleep can I get?” While it is not known yet why Shriver is sleeping in the same room with three rescue cats, it can be attributed to the devastation caused by the wildfires.

At least 25 precious lives have been lost so far and over 10,000 structures have turned into rubble due to the wildfires. Besides, more than 153,000 people evacuated their homes, with the insured losses amounting to over $8 Billion. While the condition of Shriver’s home is not known yet, her latest posts are definitely not encouraging for her fans. Coming back to her partnership with Vekic, this is not the first time that the American coach has been unable to watch her mentee play in a crucial tournament. 

During the Paris Olympics last year, when Vekic clinched the silver medal, her coach was not there to witness her achieve remarkable glory due to a family engagement. And yet again, her commitment to family has taken center stage over Vekic’s campaign.

Vekic, however, did not fail to pay her tributes to Shriver at the Australian Open. 

“Really miss her”- When Donna Vekic shared compassionate remarks for Pam Shriver

Donna Vekic has been receiving continuous support from Pam Shriver for over a year now. Hence, not having her in her box during a grand slam is definitely saddening for the star player. It is for this reason, that soon after defeating Diane Parry in the first round, Vekic shared an emotional take, when quizzed about her coach’s absence. 

Speaking in the interview, Vekic said, “It’s a very difficult situation for her. She’s home in LA, her house is okay for now, but so many have lost everything, and it’s a very horrible situation.” Continuing further, she added, “We were doing our preseason in LA this year, so we were just there two weeks ago. I really cannot believe what’s happening. We’re very sad that she’s not here with us. We really miss her, and I hope everything will be okay.”

As the tournament unfolds, fans can’t help but wonder: will Shriver overcome her challenges and visit Melbourne anytime soon? While that remains uncertain, it will be interesting to see how far can Vekic rise in her coach’s absence.