Teeny Sweeny Aussie wildcard hunts another Open scalp
Darren Walton |
Two years after walking away from tennis, Dane Sweeny is one tantalising win from a likely dream US Open showdown with the tournament’s top seed on the sport’s biggest stage.
Already assured of departing New York with a guaranteed, life-changing $402,500 pay cheque, the humble Australian wildcard takes on Italy’s world No.22 Luciano Darderi on Saturday (Sunday AEST) for a most improbable place in the last 16.
The Great Dane or ‘Teeny’ Sweeny, all 170cm of him, is living a real-life fairytale.
“That’s the beautiful thing about pursuing something as hard as tennis,” the 25-year-old said after shooting down 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti in a huge second-round boilover.
But life wasn’t so beautiful for Sweeny when he’d had enough after suffering a demoralising straight-sets first-round qualifying loss at Wimbledon in 2024.
“Yeah, I quit,” he told AAP in the bowels of the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre.
“I didn’t know if I was coming back or not. I thought there was a good chance I would, but I was just in a spot where I just couldn’t do tennis anymore, the whole journey.
“I just had to step away from it and it showed me that I really do love tennis and it’s something I’m here to do for this period of my life.
“Yeah, I think it was a great decision.”
Sweeny started coaching but didn’t really have a plan.
“I probably should have even done it when I was younger, to be honest,” he said.
“I just stepped away. Was just waiting to see how I felt. I was spending a lot of time with my girlfriend but I didn’t step away long enough to really think of another profession because the feelings of wanting to play started before that.
“But it was enough time to realise I just burnt out.”
A naturally highly-strung character, the 25-year-old now credits his girlfriend for helping him achieve a certain zen on and off the court that has helped his tennis.
The free spirit says he will prepare for Darderi the same way as he did for his opening two matches in New York.
“I’ve come to realise that I have really good tennis and it’s really about staying calm and finding that that state of mind where I can just see the game clearly and not be rattled by my emotions or thoughts,” Sweeny said.
“So meditation practices help, having just quiet time in the morning, having some sort of ritual. I’ve been doing tea ceremonies with my girlfriend lately. It’s been really nice.
“Just things to slow down and to come back to myself because tennis players, you’re training all day, you’re catching a flight every week, you’re packing your bags, you’re unpacking your bags, everything’s chaotic. There’s no real routine.”
Sweeny ran Musetti – a Wimbledon and French Open semi-finalist in the past two years – ragged in his last match and plans on sticking to that routine against the Italian’s countryman.
“I do get satisfaction when I feel like I’m wearing someone down,” he said.
“That gives me good satisfaction, but also hitting a winner feels nice because I don’t do it all the time.
“I mean, I grew up watching a lot of Lleyton Hewitt on the TV and I could always relate to him. He’s not the biggest guy. He fights for every point like I do,”
If he can spring another boilover, Sweeny would likely play top-seeded German Alexander Zverev on Arthur Ashe Stadium for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I’m just going to do the best I can, try and really stay composed in big moments,” said the world No.123.
“That’s what’s been serving me really well and that’s what I can control.”
AAP