By Foster Niumata
The longest day turned into the shortest fun for Leanne Baker yesterday.
The youngest tennis player in the ASB Bank Classic paced around the Stanley St stadium in Auckland chatting to family and friends, so that by the time she finally made her main-draw debut amid growing shadows, her
nerves had lost their edge.
"I was pumped; I was really fired up," said the Te Awamutu wildcard, who turned 18 on Friday.
She proved it by giving 57th-ranked Miriam Oremans, of the Netherlands, a 6-3 6-4 shock in just 65 minutes.
Baker, ranked 553 and about to embark on her last year on the junior world tour, gave as composed and bold a performance as fellow New Zealander Rewa Hudson did in last year's Classic in her stunning win over top-100 Japanese Rika Hiraki.
Hudson then gave top-20 player Lisa Raymond a scare. Baker has a bigger chance today against titleholder and No 12 Dominique van Roost.
"I just want to go out and play as good again. I'm fully capable of that," said Baker, who, according to coach Peter Langsford, only needs more confidence.
"The thing with Leanne, is to get her to believe that she is a good player." She's a believer now," said Langsford.
Oremans, who mirrored Baker with a serve-volley game that got her to the Rosmalen final last year and then Wimbledon's last 16 - Baker made the Junior Wimbledon last 16 - was quickly down 0-4, picking serve returns off her shoelaces.
Left-handed Baker had a hook David Tua would be proud of. Her belief was tested serving 4-3 up in the second, down 0-40. She executed five successive points to rescue herself.
She had practised superbly and was hoping to play at least half as good at Stanley St.
Helping to talk her nerves down before the match were her family, coaches and friends, many up from the Waikato, some with cowbells.
Of her first big WTA tour appearance, Baker smiled: "It's awesome, the crowd was awesome."
