By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 17, 2024

Alycia Parks sports a golden arm that may generate jaw-dropping energy from the service stripe. She used that world-class serve to assert her maiden title in Lyon in 2023, defeating Caroline Garcia within the closing, and reached a career-high rating of No.40 on the earth at one level final 12 months.

Now ranked 82, Parks used that energy sport to earn her largest win by rating at a Slam on Day 4, taking out Leylah Fernandez, 7-5, 6-4.

Ahead of her third-round conflict with Coco Gauff on the Australian Open, Parks is considered a uncooked expertise with vital upside. Here are 5 issues to know in regards to the American earlier than her second within the highlight.

1. She struck the quickest serve in US Open ladies’s singles historical past

That occurred in 2021, when Parks slammed a 129 MPH serve on her US Open fundamental draw debut, tying herself with Venus Williams for the quickest US Open serve on document. As of this week, Parks has tripled her haul of Grand Slam fundamental draw victories, bettering her profession document on the majors to 3-4.

2. She’s acquired a brand new coach

Parks was coached by her father Michael throughout her adolescence, and did not play a lot on the junior circuit. She defined the reasoning behind that in her press convention on Day 4 in Melbourne.

"My dad took me out of the juniors only because I was growing so fast, and he didn't want me to get injured," she mentioned. "He wanted me to develop. I always wanted to go pro, and that was the goal ever since I picked up the racquet. So I think it panned out well, and I wouldn't take any different route."

Parks began working with Aussie coach Mark Hlawaty only a few days earlier than the Australian Open. Since then she has gained two matches to succeed in the third spherical at a significant for the primary time. Not unhealthy in any respect.

“Mark has been working with me this week,” she mentioned. “It's kind of new. Well, he's helping me out for Australian Open and hopefully in the future. I think we're a good partnership, and we look forward to working together in the future.

“He flew in I think Friday. Thursday night or Friday. Then we had one day to prep. Then, I don't know, we're in the third round, so I think we're doing pretty good together, yeah.”

3. She’s already defeated Gauff – in MIXED

At final 12 months’s US Open, Parks and Denis Kudla defeated Gauff and Jack Sock in blended doubles in straight units. Parks has been a superb doubles participant on the whole, owns two titles on tour and is at present ranked 31 within the self-discipline.

4. She watches Serena for inspiration

Parks says that she loves watching Serena’s matches to today, and even watched one earlier this week. What does she get from watching the GOAT? Tranquility.

“I would say definitely her calmness when she's in certain situations,” Parks informed reporters on Wednesday in Melbourne. “When things are going too fast, she'll actually slow down and rethink her serve. That's definitely one of her weapons.

“Just the way she carried herself on the court, she's very focused. She doesn't, like, rush. I tend to rush a little bit and then usually that's when I start to kind of snowball. So I have to slow it down and take it point by point.”

5. Gauff says it’s only a matter of time earlier than Parks breaks out on tour

Speaking of the matchup, Gauff had a number of reward for the 23-year-old.

“I have known her for a long time, since I was, like, maybe like 9 years old,” Gauff mentioned. “Used to practice with her and her sister. We both lived in Delray Beach, in that area. I know her very well. I always refer her -- obviously not for the next match.

“She has a big game, big serve, big shots, very athletic. I think she's one of the most – if not "the" most – athletic players on tour. Like me, her, Sloane, and Iga are probably up there and Sakkari. And there is more I'm probably missing. Those would be, like, my top 5. She's like up there. “It's going to be a tough match. I don't expect it to be easy. I've never played her actually since that age other than the mixed doubles we had at US Open, but I've never played her in practice or anything. We're both going in, you know, not blind because we obviously watched each other, but never hit or anything.

“It's going to be a tough match. She's a great player, and I always knew she was going to do well on tour. It was just a matter of when it was all going to align. I think now it's starting to align.”

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