Hana Mandlikova is a legendary tennis name having won the Australian Open twice and is a five-time major champion as well as a tennis Hall of Famer so of course Elizabeth Mandlik carried some of that weight when she attempted to follow in her mothers footsteps.But not only did Mandlikova have success but her grandfather Vilem was in Melbourne running in the 1956 Summer Olympic Games reaching the semi-finals in the 200 metres. “Maybe I can be the third one in my family to do something big there,” said Mandlik to Tennis.com.What she is referencing is in fact her spot at the Australian Open. She managed to get in without having to use qualifying as an outlet one she could have used. She won the USTA’s annual Australian Open Wildcard Challenge edging out Claire Liu and now has that surety that she will play in Melbourne.
“It’s a really great opportunity for all the Americans to battle with each other and fight for that wild card,” said Mandlik, who made her Australian Open debut in 2023.
“By the time I realized I was also in the running for the main-draw wild card, I had already secured my spot in qualies, and that was such a weight lifted off my back.”
“It was actually pretty crazy how it all played out. We both won our first rounds and I won my second round. If she had won her second round, we would have played each other and that would have been the match to secure the wild card.
“She ended up losing one round early, but it was crazy to think of people watching that match had it happened, and if they knew what we were playing for. It would have been a completely different level of stakes and pressure. Not being able to play that match was a little disappointing because it would have been such a great experience. Still, I was very happy to secure it outright!”
Mandlik different than breakout year
She also gets more time to get her pre season in order given that she now doesn’t need to cut it short to head to Australia earlier. She made her debut only as a lucky loser so didn’t even have the luxury of winning through anyway.
“When you have to play qualies, it’s more difficult because you can’t play that extra warm-up. You have to cut your pre-season shorter,” Mandlik continued.. “So, having that main-draw date and knowing your schedule makes things much easier. I’ve had to play qualies the last couple years so having the wild card means a lot. Everything feels much calmer.”
She broke out in San Jose defeating Alison Riske-Amritraj and pushed Paula Badosa in San Jose. She won her first main-dra match at the US Open but it has been a less easy road since but since switching coaches, she’s found form again.
“In the past, I was more of an emotional player,” Mandlik said. “I could have a great week and then have a horrible week and get really upset about that. It was kind of like a roller coaster in my mind. As I got more used to being on tour, breaking into the Top 100 and falling out, I’ve really figured out how to calm my mind and work through all the day-to-day things that let me play every day like it’s the same.”
Having a legendary mother can be a blessing or a curse and while she takes tips from her, she is also her own player so can only rely on it in part.
“I feel very blessed to be playing a sport she played already. She knows the ins and outs and she’s been able to prepare me for all the little crevices I might get into. Obviously, I’ve had to go through a lot on my own, but she knows how it feels when different things have happened to me, so it allows me to feel a little bit ahead of the game sometimes. She gives me so much support and knowledge.”
