UPDATE 5.30pm: Jarmila Gajdosova couldn’t help but spill tears on Pat Rafter Arena as she ended a horror 2012 with an overdue flourish.
The former world No.25 has endured the terrible past 18 months, culminating in the death of her mother Jarmila due to throat cancer in September.
Gajdosova’s ranking dropped to No.183 as her last main-draw win came way back at the French Open in May – a drought of eight WTA tournaments.
But that made Sunday’s impressive three-set comeback win over world No.16 Roberta Vinci all the sweeter at the Brisbane International.
With her father Jan and the rest of her family in the stands, Gajdosova couldn’t contain her emotions as she clinched a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 win which puts her into a second-round clash with Maria Sharapova.
“Yeah, look, it’s been tough,” she said. “As you all know, my mum passed away in September. It’s been a difficult time. First Christmas as well without her.
“My dad is here, my brother and his wife and son who watch me right now as well, so it was … a bit difficult, but it’s always good to win at least one.”
Making Slovak-born Gajdosova’s recent path even bumpier was her marriage break-up with fellow tennis pro Sam Groth, plus a string of injuries and a split with coach Gavin Hopper.
But the powerful 25-year-old denied she ever held doubts her career was on the skids.
“I guess there is nothing worse can happen to me so far than it has already, unfortunately,” she said. “So from that point of view you can only get better.
“I am 180. It’s a long way to where I was, but only time will tell.
“I will just keep playing and training and doing all I can to get back to where I was and hopefully better.
“There is no pressure; there is no expectation. There is only me working hard and trying to get to the level I want to play and get better as player and as a person.”
Vinci’s serve dominated the first set but Gajdosova turned the tide in the second, producing her signature flat groundstrokes as she broke the world No.1 doubles player twice and then continued her momentum in the third.
Gajdosova last played world No.2 Sharapova at the 2010 US Open when she led a set and a break before being overrun.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “All I can do is go out there, fight for every point as I did the first round, and hopefully play very well.”