من عز بز: Olivia Lukaszewicz

Olivia Lukaszewicz biography

The Australian Open's lowest-ranked player, world No. 922 Olivia Lukaszewicz, was watching TV on her bed at the home of family friends in Kooyong yesterday when her name was the first spat out for computer distribution among the 32 seeds already placed in the women's draw.

First out meant that Lukaszewicz - the 15-year-old wildcard recipient making her senior tournament debut - would be playing the top seed.

That, she realised soon enough, was Justine Henin-Hardenne, the reigning French and US Open champion. In a match that . . . gulp . . . is likely to be played before a national TV audience on Rod Laver Arena.

"I just couldn't believe it. I thought it was some sort of a joke," Lukaszewicz said yesterday. "It's just starting to sink in . . . I'm just trying to be relaxed and calm. It will be an unbelievable experience.

"I can't play a better player than the No. 1 person in the world. That's my ultimate experience, what I want to hopefully get to, and I've got that chance to see what I'm up against."

If nothing else, the element of surprise favours Lukaszewicz, the remarkably composed Adelaide student and Monica Seles disciple who, like Seles, plays double-handed off both sides.

She plans to watch and ask about Henin-Hardenne in the coming days, but has learnt, from afar, what to expect. Unlike the Belgian, who, Lukaszewicz jokes, will "have a look at my ranking and go, 'what's going on?', so she won't know what she's up against at all".

Lukaszewicz is the daughter of Polish immigrants Maria and Stan, a self-employed cabinet-maker. The AIS scholarship-holder, a baseliner coached by Lleyton Hewitt's original mentor, Peter Smith, will spend the Open's second week as one of the younger players in the junior event, and nominates last year's first-round loss in senior qualifying out on court 20 as the biggest match of her career. Until now.

"It's all happening at the moment. I don't know what's going to come up next; I don't think anything bigger can happen," she said. "I was dreading Rod Laver (Arena), but it looks like I'm going to play on it now. I'll try to enjoy the moment and hope it all goes well."

Elsewhere, there was sympathy, when the terrifying nature of Lukaszewisz's baptism was revealed. "I do feel sorry for her . . . I think it couldn't really get any worse for her," said fellow Australian Sam Stosur.

"But I'm sure she'll enjoy it as much as she can and give it her best shot. First experience, but that's the way it is."

Olivia Lukaszewicz