Former top-10 star Alicia Molik joined this week’s episode of The Sit-Right down to replicate on her bronze medal win on the Athens 2004 Olympics – the head of her profession.
One of the best six months of Alicia Molik’s profession spanned late 2004 and early 2005.
In the direction of the top of that glowing interval, the Aussie star reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Australian Open 2005 – one thing she mentioned with us earlier this month – earlier than peaking at world No.8.
And it started together with her unforgettable run on the Athens 2004 Olympics.
Molik joined this week’s episode of The Sit-Down podcast and, 20 years on, recalled a event that concluded together with her profitable a singles bronze medal.
Since tennis returned to the Summer season Video games in 1988, she stays Australia’s solely particular person tennis medallist.
The value of a medal to a #tennis participant. Priceless 🫶
Speaking #Olympics with Aussie @AliciaMolik – 20 years on from profitable bronze in singles on the Athens 2004 Video games 🎧 https://t.co/Q6r3CarVU1#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/DHkaYVx6ka
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) July 29, 2024
“It’s all nonetheless actually contemporary in my thoughts, and I believe the reminiscence is so vivid, as a result of it was simply such an actual second, a turning level, an actual achievement inside my profession,” mentioned Molik, who beat reigning Roland Garros champion Anastasia Myskina within the bronze medal play-off.
LISTEN: The Sit-Down with Alicia Molik
“It’s in all probability the proudest second of my entire profession. Successful bronze means you get to take one thing dwelling. You’ve got an opportunity to step up on the rostrum. You continue to have an opportunity to signify your nation by being in that third place and being alongside full champions of the game.
“You’ve had a second chew on the cherry; you’ve made essentially the most of that. So it’s a profitable feeling – you’re feeling such as you’ve gained a Grand Slam.
“The Grand Slams are the head of tennis, (and) my bronze medal was the head I consider my profession.”
Molik opened the tennis occasion at Athens by upsetting world No.6 Elena Dementieva. She then beat Ai Sugiyama within the quarterfinals, guaranteeing an opportunity to play for a medal.
She fell within the semifinals to world No.2 Amelie Mauresmo – the eventual silver medallist who misplaced the gold medal match to Justine Henin – however secured bronze after one other top-10 win, this time over third-ranked Myskina.
The frustration of the Mauresmo loss virtually immediately evaporated when she was introduced with one other likelihood at a medal, which she grabbed with a 6-3 6-4 win.
“Once I was introduced with the medal round my neck, and had the olive leaves and the wreath that they positioned over our heads, it was an actual ‘pinch-me’ second,” Molik mirrored.
“That truly didn’t really feel actual on the time, it was one thing I by no means thought I’d ever expertise. Since you watch it as a child, and it feels so distant from actuality. You see the Olympics on a display screen each couple of years.
“And so the dream grew to become a actuality.
“I’ve by no means cried due to pleasure, however I did cry that match, and it’s by no means occurred to me earlier than my entire profession… I’d felt so pleased with myself that I truly was in tears, and I’d given the whole lot.
“For me, bronze was like gold. It felt that I’d achieved the whole lot in my life, and tennis … I used to be completely over the moon.”