Brisbane expertise Adam Walton is shortly climbing the ATP Tour rankings in each singles and doubles.
Miami, USA, 21 March 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Lower than three months into the 2024 season, Adam Walton has already tallied some spectacular milestones.
The 24-year-old from Brisbane certified at an ATP event for the primary time on the Adelaide Worldwide in January, the place he scored two top-100 wins.
“I’d by no means performed a man inside the highest 100 till this summer time, so to beat two of the fellows inside the highest 100 was an enormous achievement,” Walton instructed tennis.com.au.
Per week later he made his Grand Slam main-draw debut on the Australian Open.
“I cherished it. The crowds had been actually energetic and I can’t wait to hopefully be again subsequent yr,” the wildcard mentioned of the expertise.
Since then, Walton has contested two ATP Challenger singles finals and claimed a title at Burnie in February.
He has additionally featured in two ATP Challenger doubles finals alongside Tristan Schoolkate, with the Aussie pair scooping a title in Pune final month.
Walton certified at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the primary time in Miami this week, scoring a hard-fought closing spherical win towards world No.88 Pedro Martinez to earn his main-draw spot.
His season document stands at 18 wins from his 27 singles matches. He has additionally recorded 9 victories from 13 doubles matches.
These efforts have been rewarded within the rankings, with Walton skyrocketing to career-highs of world No.145 in singles and world No.134 in doubles.
“I haven’t actually put a quantity on it,” Walton mentioned of his rating targets this season. “However clearly if I may end as excessive as I can that might be an important end result.”
Adam Walton in motion at Australian Open 2024. Image: Tennis Australia
Walton faces an enormous check within the Miami essential draw tomorrow, going through former world No.6 Felix Auger-Aliassime from Canada.
“I really feel like my degree has undoubtedly elevated so much over the past yr or two to the place I’m capable of match it with these guys,” Walton mentioned.
“I do nonetheless really feel like I may use some extra publicity to those prime guys. So the extra matches I can play towards these high quality gamers, the extra it’s going to assist me.”
Earlier than turning skilled in mid-2022, Walton spent 4 years taking part in US faculty tennis on the College of Tennessee.
“It was undoubtedly the precise determination for me. I wasn’t able to play professional tennis at 17 after I graduated from highschool,” Walton mentioned.
“I wasn’t even positive if I’d play professional tennis after faculty. I actually wasn’t positive till my final yr in faculty, after I had my greatest outcomes and completed the collegiate system ranked No.2 behind Ben Shelton.
“My coach there mentioned I ought to at the very least give it a crack and I had some fairly respectable success straight off the bat, in order that sort of helped me to decide to taking part in professional.”
Walton, a winner of seven singles and 4 doubles titles on the secondary ATP Challenger and ITF excursions since turning professional, continues to coach in Knoxville when not competing on tour.
“I base myself there all year long as a result of Brisbane is so onerous to get to,” he defined.
“I can prepare with the fellows on the faculty workforce and my girlfriend lives there, so I can keep together with her. It’s a very good set-up I’ve received.”
Walton returned house to Brisbane for the latest low season, the place he labored onerous with the Nationwide Tennis Academy workforce.
“It simply goes to point out that the work we did within the pre-season has helped,” Walton mentioned.
“Now I’m trying to proceed on from all of the onerous work that I’ve achieved and attempt to preserve constructing my rating.”
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