Arab No1 Malek Jaziri pleased with his Aus Open progress

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  • Progress: Malek Jaziri reached a Grand Slam third round for the first time in Melbourne.

    Malek Jaziri is keen to take the positives out of his Australian Open experience following his third round defeat to Nick Kyrgios and says he’s targeting a place in the ATP top-50 this season.

    The Tunisian, who became the first player – man or woman – from his country in the Open Era to reach the last 32 at a grand slam, will rise to a career-high ranking of around 65 after the action concludes in Melbourne.

    The 31-year-old fell to home hero Kyrgios 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-1 in a close encounter that saw both players receive medical treatment for injuries.

    Jaziri was making his debut at a grand slam third round and hopes his efforts bode well for the future.

    “Let’s take it in a positive way, it’s a good start for the year for me. I feel 2015 is going to be my year,” said Jaziri before signing off from Melbourne Park.

    Jaziri was being coached by Wimbledon legend Goran Ivanisevic this week after the Croat volunteered to help out in the absence of his actual charge Marin Cilic, who is injured.

    Ivanisevic was proud of the way Jaziri played but admitted that Kyrgios’ serve was exceptional.

    Jaziri agreed: “He was serving very good and mixing it up a lot. He was serving to the T, then changed and served body.

    “It’s not easy to read it. His percentage of the serve was very high and it made the difference.”

    The Arab No1 explained that he had received treatment for an injury to his hip, which he was determined to play through.

    “I had a small injury in my hip, but I didn’t want to stop, I wanted to continue. It wasn’t easy, it was painful, but the doctor gave me some anti-inflammatory and I continued,” said Jaziri who was playing on a main court in Melbourne for the first time.

    “I didn’t even practice on the Margaret Court Arena, I went straight to my match and it was the first time for me to play on a big court here in Melbourne.

    “[Kyrgios] is really motivated, he’s playing at home. For me making the third round is still good.

    “I prefer to focus on the things that I should have done and work on them more and take the positives from this good experience.”

    He will now have to recover quickly from his hip problem with his upcoming schedule including ATP tournaments in Montpellier, Memphis, Delray Beach and Dubai in back-to-back weeks.

    “Hopefully, if I enter the top-50 I can play exclusively on the ATP tour and not go back to the Challengers,” he says.

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