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After so many career firsts over the past few months, Sam Groth’s story is growing a bit old.
But it’s never been more inspiring or worth relaying than before his “dream” Australian third-round showdown with Bernard Tomic on Friday.
If ever there’s been a cliched tennis journeyman, it is 27-year-old Groth.
Four years ago, Groth was very much the lesser half in a marriage since gone wrong with Jarmila Gajdosova, the coach, bag carrier, “handbag” and hitting partner infamously lambasted on national TV by his temperamental wife during her loss at the Brisbane International.
While then-Mrs Groth was the major bread winner, he was toiling away in tennis back waters trying to make an honest buck.
Groth’s claim to fame had been beating Mark Philippoussis in an Australian Open wildcard playoff before he trumped that by delivering the world’s fastest recorded serve at Busan in 2012.
But the 263km/h still couldn’t help him win the low-key Challenger match in China.
After splitting with Gajdosova in 2011 and with his tennis career going nowhere, Groth decided to play Australian Rules football with his mates, a season with the Vermont reserves in suburban Melbourne more appealing than globetrotting for pittance.
Then Groth had an epiphany.
He decided to give tennis one last crack.
A big crack.
A strapping athlete at 193cm and 97kg, Groth began working with Ben Mathias, whose focus on fitness and conditioning transformed his rejuvenated charge into a fearsome force.
Emerging from the tennis wilderness, Groth enjoyed a stunning 2014.
He qualified for the Wimbledon main draw for the first time, then won his maiden grand slam match at the US Open and challenging Roger Federer in a memorable prime-time Friday night second-round match under lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Groth’s first victory at Melbourne Park followed on Monday and now the world No.82 with a bullet is one win away from making the second week of a major after taking out teenage compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis in a five-set breakthrough.
“It’s a fair way from the grass courts of Corowa and Albany,” he said.
“I’m a country boy. I always wanted to play on the big courts. That was my dream. Now I’m living that dream.
“The journey I’ve taken the last two years, the last 10 years, the last 20 years, it’s a pretty amazing feeling.”
Groth is the undoubted underdog against Tomic, but believes he can win.
He feels he belongs and will take enormous confidence out of his run in Melbourne come what may.
“I can’t worry about playing Bernard Tomic,” he said.
“I have to worry about getting through and getting into the fourth round.
“I’m still pretty inexperienced at this level. It’s my first five-set match (against Kokkinakis), my first time in the third round of a grand slam.
“You know, I’m inexperienced, but I’m loving every minute of it at the moment.”
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