American veteran Lisa Raymond has an enviable trophy collection from her 22-year long career. She has won 79 doubles titles, including six women’s doubles grand slam titles. Yet one thing missing from her trophy cabinet is the Hobart International title.
This could change today, when Raymond and China’s Shuai Zhang play Romanian Monica Niculescu and Czech Republic’s Klara Zakopalova in the 2014 Hobart International women’s doubles final.
“It would be nice to start the year with a win and get title number 80 and in a tournament I haven’t won before,” Raymond said.
Raymond, currently ranked 30 in doubles, and Zhang, ranked no. 54, are teaming up for the first time this week. Originally Raymond was to play with Slovenian Polona Hercog, but she missed the tournament with injury.
The second-seeded combination had two straight set wins in the opening two rounds, then fought back after dropping the first set against Spanish pair Lara Arruabarrena and Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the semi-finals, to progress to the title decider.
“It was a last minute thing,” the American said of the partnership. “I was just fortunate Shuai was available. It’s been a great week.”
Tomorrow’s final appearance is Raymond’s 120th of her doubles career, but her first since Miami in March last year.
“It has been a while,” Raymond admitted. “It’s a nice way to start the year. 2013 I want to put behind me, it was probably my worst year on tour.”
Raymond slipped out of the world’s top 10 last season and did not have a regular partner. She played with a number of players including Russian Maria Kirilenko, Brit Laura Robson and Australia’s Samantha Stosur throughout the year.
“I played with eight or nine different partners, all which got injured. I’ve never had a year like that,” she said. “It was brutal. For me, I think it is really important to practice with your partner. The top doubles teams are too good not to put in any time on the practice court if you want to be winning the grand slams and the big tournaments. I’m crossing my fingers that I can find some stability this year.”
Raymond is now a doubles specialist, having played her last tour-level singles match in 2007. She tasted a lot of success during her singles career, winning four titles and reaching a career-high ranking of 15.
At the age of 40, Raymond has not lost the desire to compete on the WTA tour and believes she can still contend for doubles titles. Her form in Hobart this week highlighted that.
“I love winning. I’m not going to sit here and say it is for the love of the game,” she said when asked what motivated her to keep playing. “I’m out here to win big tournaments.”
Raymond, who has spent 137 weeks as the world’s top-ranked doubles player, is determined to return to the top of the game.
“Part of the reason I am playing this year is that there is no way I could put down the racquets after last year,” she said. “To go out that way, wouldn’t have been on my terms. I wanted to play at least one more year and give it a go. I’m out here to win. If I can’t compete at a top level, then I’m going to stay home.”
Such is Raymond’s longevity in the game, she is now partnering and facing players who weren’t even born when she started her professional tennis career. This was the case here in Hobart in round one, when she played against the Australian wildcard pair of Kimberly Birrell, aged 15, and Olivia Tjandramulia, 16. Even her partner this week is also a young player, at 24.
“I’m so used to it now. I could name on my hand the girls that are still out here that are my colleagues,” Raymond said. “I played a lot last year with Laura Robson and she was 19, so I could have been her mum. It’s actually nice for me because a lot of times the young girls bring a different perspective and different energy to the court. At the end of the day I try and use my experience, being a veteran out here hopefully I’m a little wiser than most of them.”
The doubles final will close the 2014 Hobart International tournament, scheduled after the singles final.