Dane Sweeny has looked back on a “career-changing week” with pride, declaring he’s still so happy despite a 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 loss to world No 22 Luciano Darderi from Italy in the U.S. Open third round.
It could have been even better too, with the young Australian star barely losing his three-set match as he struggled with a hip injury that slowed him down at Flushing Meadows.
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“It’s been an amazing week, a career-changing week, but I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed just with today’s performance,” Sweeny said. “I just wasn’t really feeling it, just not really feeling the timing and the rhythm as I have been. Just made a lot of cheap errors, and that was quite frustrating.”
He added: “I was OK to lose a match, but I really wanted to test him more… make an absolute fight out of it. Win or lose, I wanted to really make him work for the victory at least, and I wasn’t able to do that.”
But, Sweeny can still hold his head up high. Not only has he banked a hair over $400,000 AUD for the third-round charge, but he is now edging closer and closer to a top 100 ranking for the first time in his tennis career.
Should he make it into double digits in the rankings before 2027, the 25-year-old Queenslander will earn a maiden direct entry to the Australian Open.
“That’s exciting. But that will take care of itself,” Sweeny said. “It’s hard not to worry about that because we’re indoctrinated to want that low number next to our name, but I can just focus on working hard, focus on improving. Particularly just staying really kind to myself and trying to enjoy the journey.”
And as for the financial side, he said that it will “help with coaching and people [he is] travelling with” as he keeps striving to build on his performances.
“I’m always investing back in my tennis,” he explained after the third-round U.S. Open defeat. “That’s the number one goal, to do all I can to be the best player I can be, so I don’t really worry about spending on my tennis.”
Now, hilariously, Sweeny is actually taking a quick break from the tour to play a more personal tournament that he battles in with mates every year.
“Me and my mates actually have a yearly wooden-racquet tournament. I’m probably twice as nervous for that as I am to play a Grand Slam,” he joked.
“The first one was at Oliver Anderson’s house; he’s won it a few times. It was called the Yeronga Invitational. It was in Brisbane at his place; he had a court, but then his parents sold that place. Then it was on the Sunshine Coast, Eumundi. We had an Airbnb, and then this year it’s going to be in Byron Bay.
“There’s 16 players in the tournament, but this year we’re going to open up a bit. There’s going to be some wild cards; there’ll even be a qualies event.
“I think that’s put me in good stead to be able to stay composed on the Grand Slam level.”
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