ZOE Hives is planning to use a short campaign on the United States tennis circuit to springboard into the Australian summer in peak fitness and match-hardened.
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Hives begins her third US tournament early on Wednesday, when she plays South Australian and doubles partner Nicole Collie in the opening round of a $10,000 hard court event at Fort Worth in Texas. Hives is the fourth seed.
The US is the second leg of an overseas trip for the Ballarat 18-year-old.
She launched it in Thailand, where her schedule was interrupted by feet problems and illness.
Ranked just inside the top 500 women in the world, Hives still managed to qualify for two tournaments in Thailand, the second in which she won her first round before having to forfeit her next match owing to illness.
Hives, who is travelling with her Melbourne-based coach Michael Logarzo, reached the second round of her US debut.
Her mother Jan Hives said Zoe was happy with her progress and pleased with the way she was hitting ball.
She said Zoe had been under-done after the illness, but was now in a “good place” within herself and with her form.
Hives is planning to play one more tournament in the US before returning home mid-August.