Tennis: It's the big Kiwi comeback

Sitak can't wait to play Nadal again ... and this time, beat the world No 3. Photo / Richard Robinson

It's been quite a year for New Zealand tennis player Artem Sitak.

Over the past 12 months he's broken a long ATP tournament drought for New Zealand, done his Rocky Balboa impression at the US Open after getting a ball flush in the eye and taken the court against legendary Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

Today he plays his second-round doubles match at the Australian Open, after an impressive opening victory on Wednesday.

"It's been a big year - there is no doubt about that," said Sitak.

"It feels like some of the hard work is starting to pay off. All of the New Zealand guys are going well and we are starting to build some momentum."

Before last year it felt as if New Zealand men's tennis was gradually disappearing.

There was little impetus at senior level and our Kiwi players were rarely heard of. A lot has changed.

We can't get too carried away but the resurgence, which started with Michael Venus reaching the third round of the Australian Open last year, has been pleasing.

Sitak laid down a big marker last year, when with Pole Mateusz Kowalczyk he won the ATP event in Stuttgart. It was the first ATP title claimed by a Kiwi since 2010 - and the first outside New Zealand since 1999, when James Greenhalgh won in Hong Kong.

"It was pretty big," said Sitak. "After that I think the guys said 'hey Artem won an ATP event, we can all do big things'. I certainly feel a lot more comfortable in this environment now."

In September, Sitak played his first Grand Slam event in New York, winning his opening match alongside Benjamin Becker by downing the 14th seeds, despite a nasty black eye after the ball accident in practice.

"It looked pretty bad but it was okay," said Becker. "A lot of people were asking about it ... I guess it is something you don't see so much in tennis."

A personal highlight came in Doha two weeks ago, when he faced Nadal in the second round of the Qatar Open. The world No3 rarely plays doubles, but wanted match practice after a surprise first-round singles loss.

"It was a lot of fun," recalls Sitak. "The atmosphere was just amazing.

"Obviously everyone was for Nadal and they wanted him to stay in the tournament. So when we [were] hitting great shots nobody was clapping, there was silence, but when they won points they were going crazy."

Sitak is the first Kiwi to face Nadal - albeit in the doubles arena - and his legendary topspin.

"I was trying to get a read on what he was doing but his ball is huge," says Sitak.

"It's probably the hardest-hit ball with spin on tour, it must be.

"I like the fact that he wanted to go through me a couple of times when I was at the net and I reacted quite well and hit a winner off it - that felt quite good."

Sitak and Becker lost 6-2, 3-6, 6-10 to Nadal and Juan Monaco, and the Russian-born Kiwi can't wait for a rematch.

"I'll always remember it," says Sitak. "But I'd like to play him again and beat him this time."