When a starry-eyed young player steps onto the court for their first pro match, almost all of them have the same dream: winning a Grand Slam. For some, that goal almost comes naturally. For others, it's an uphill battle full of depression, setbacks, early losses and heartache.
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni knows about that struggle all too well. Turning pro in 1997, the Croatian has played in 41 major main draws, losing 22 times in the first round. She has only reached the second week of a Grand Slam on three occasions—the semifinals of the 1999 Wimbledon, the fourth round of the 2014 US Open in 2014 and the quarterfinals of this year's Australian Open.
What's most remarkable about the 34-year-old's story is that until last week, Lucic-Baroni hadn't won a match in Melbourne for 18 years. So how did she go from a multiple first-round loser to this year's dark horse?
At first, the newly professional Lucic-Baroni seemed to be the next big thing. Ending her first season at No. 52, and winning her first WTA title in her first-ever WTA appearance (in Bol) to become the fifth-youngest player ever to do so. She then reached the final in Strasbourg, losing to Steffi Graf, who said after the final, "I was not nearly as good as she is at 15." The Croatian went on to reach the third round of the US Open.