NICK Lindahl's Australian Open preparations gathered momentum yesterday with a three-set win over Queenslander Joel Lindner in the second round of the Brisbane International qualifying series.
The youngster from Eleebana is due to play former world No.19 Xavier Malisse today in the final qualifying round.
By his own admission Lindahl, 21, was inconsistent in his win over Lindner (6-7, 6-3, 6-4), the son of former Australian and Queensland State of Origin rugby league star Bob Lindner.
The match was played on the indoor court at the Brisbane Tennis Centre, and Lindahl said it took him a set before he felt comfortable in the sapping humidity.
"He played really good in the first set but he couldn't keep it up and I started playing a bit better in the last two sets," Lindahl said yesterday.
"He served pretty big today so it was hard to get rhythm, so there wasn't many rallies. It was very humid today as well and pretty tough and tricky to play in."
Lindahl defeated German Tobias Kamke 7-5, 6-3 on Saturday but expects a sterner test from Belgian 29-year-old Malisse, who is ranked 94th in the world.
"He's been a good player, he was top 20 in the world," he said. "It will be a tough match."
Malisse is on the comeback trial after his 12-month ban in November for failing to report his whereabouts for drug testing three times was overturned on appeal.
If Lindahl defeats Malisse, he will proceed to the main draw of the Brisbane International and could face Australian teen sensation Bernard Tomic, whom he beat in a five-set marathon at the Australian Open wildcard qualifier in Melbourne on December 20.
His preparation for the Open was boosted last week with news he has received a wildcard for the Sydney International, which will begin at Homebush on Saturday.
Lindahl's coach, Shannon Bluhm, said he was ecstatic with the progress of his protege's Open preparations.
"He's obviously two matches down and he's got another match, weather permitting, and if he can get through that and play a fourth or fifth, that would be ideal along with the Sydney wildcard," Bluhm said.
"It's good that he's getting this match play now and a tough match next week in Sydney. That's perfect preparation for him going into the Open. We'll get to Melbourne a few days early and start building up on the reserve courts."
AAP reports: Outcast Xavier Malisse may be the least-known Belgian making a comeback at the Brisbane International but he is set to become an X-factor in more ways than one.
Female compatriot Justine Henin is a major drawcard but former top 20 player Malisse is slugging his way through qualifying in the Queensland heat for a main draw berth following a controversial doping ban.
The 29-year-old was banned for 12 months on November 5 for missing a drugs test, but the suspension was overturned on appeal last month.
By that stage Malisse had missed the cut-off for entry for the main draw of the Australian Open and had to go through qualifying to gain a berth at Melbourne Park after his request for a wildcard was rejected.
Malisse was the Brisbane qualifying top seed but was rusty in his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Queenslander Mathieson Klein yesterday.
"It has been a roller-coaster the last two to three months," said Malisse, who was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2002.
"It feels nice to be back on the court. Obviously I'm not playing the way I want to but it's good to get in there again, get competitive, find my rhythm."
Malisse, a powerful baseline player, is still upset over his treatment by doping authorities.
He received some support in Belgium, notably from US Open winner Kim Clijsters, but left his homeland for Florida, in the US, to escape the pressure.
Malisse initially struggled for motivation to prepare for the Australian summer but is now looking on the bright side.
"It has been hard when they take away your career from one day to another, or it's possible they could take it away," he said after his ban was lifted.
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