Zoe Hives has the United States Open firmly in her sights after exceeding her expectations in reaching the Wimbledon main draw.
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She said having gained enormous confidence out of her Wimbledon campaign, it was now all about playing as much tennis as possible, on the way to hopefully qualifying for the US Open.
The Ballarat 25-year-old said she would look to play "three or four" tournaments in the US to continue building her confidence and fitness, and hopefully work her way into the US Open at the end of August.
"I know I have the game. It's there and I can do it."
Hives lost her first round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday night to world number five Maria Sakkari from Greece 6-1 6-4 in 78 minutes.
Hives produced her best tennis in the second set after taking a medical break mid-set to get her left thigh strapped.
She saved a match point and broke Sakkari's serve after showing much more dare in her game and by her own admission feeling much more comfortable.
"It's a very long time since I've played someone in the top 100 and that's what it felt like at the start," Hives said.
"I haven't experienced it for three years.
"It's a different level compared with what I have been playing - different intensity and a different ball that's coming through when you play one of the top players."
Hives exceeded all expectations, most of all her own, by reaching the main draw on the back of three wins in the qualifying tournament.
She is on the comeback trail after being sidelined in late 2019 with debilitating condition of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which features chronic fatigue and dizziness among its symptoms.
Hives, who is now ranked 572 in the world after reaching a career-high 140 in September 2019, began her comeback at the start of the year during the Australian summer, but this was only her seventh singles match since heading overseas early this month.
Hives said she had not expected to get into the main draw at Wimbledon.
"It's been a great experience."
She said one of her main goals in her comeback had been to play in a major again - having reached the second round of the 2019 Australian Open.
"I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. I need to re-assess and get my ranking up.
"The next few weeks will be about trying to get some points to improve my ranking."
Hives said her Wimbledon campaign had given her a great deal of motivation.
While her mother Jan was courtside with Zoe's coach Michael Logarzo, her father Neil watched the match from the family home at Kingston. "It was great to see her fight it out," he said.
He said some players would fall away up against the odds, but that was not in Zoe's character.
"She pushes all the way. If you're going to beat her you're going to have to earn it."
Neil Hives said he was not surprised to see Zoe struggle in the first set.
"Big stage, big moment, big-time opponent - there had to be some nerves," he said.
"Once she got to know the court and her opponent and became more relaxed, she settled down and it was great to see her show what she can do."
He said he was not too concerned about her leg issue.
"It was precautionary as much as anything. She knows how to handle that."
He believes she will be better suited once on the hard courts in Europe and in the US.
He said more matches would also see her become better match fit.
"She knows she's on the right track."
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