Indonesian tennis player Priska Madelyn Nugroho will start her junior grand slam journey at the Australian Open when she faces South Korean Yeon Woo-ku on Sunday.

The 15-year-old Priska is ranked 44^th in the junior world, while Yeon is ranked 127^th. The South Korean earned her spot in the grand slam through a wild card after winning the Australia Open Asia Pacific playoff tournament in China last December.

“We’ve never met in a competition before. But, I know her [Yeon] because we’ve trained together several times,” Priska said in a statement.

Priska said 2018 saw her prepare for the slam, including by taking part in a training camp with Tarik Benhabilles, the former coach of world tennis player Andy Roddick, in Thailand.

“I’m confident about reaching the second round,” she said.

If Priska prevails in the opener, she will face either sixth seed Lea Ma of the United States or Elina Avanesyan of Russia.

Priska is a breath of fresh air for Indonesia, which had been missing a representative in the grand slam for years. (nkn)