Neil speaks with coach of tennis newcomer Daria Gavrilova

?The coach of Daria Gavrilova? has told Neil Mitchell that the up-and-coming player now plays for Australia as a result of her boyfriend and an email.

Gavrilova is originally from Russia has been dating Australian tennis player Luke Saville since she was 16.  

Nicole Pratt has been coaching Gavrilova for three years and told Neil Mitchell after competing in some Australian tournaments she decided to make the switch, and followed up with an email to her now- coach.

‘Things just rolled from there,’ Ms Pratt told Neil Mitchell. ‘To her credit, she did everything herself through the immigration lawyers.’

‘It took three years to get through but now she’s an Australian.’

The former number one junior is ranked number 39 and is now based in Australia.

Some describe her as a smiling assassin due to her bubbly nature, and Ms Pratt agreed with Neil that the enthusiastic player was a breath of fresh air for the Australian tennis scene.

‘What you see is actually what she is on a daily basis…she loves what she does on a daily basis.’

Tonight Gavrilova will face 28th seed Kristina Mladenovic of France.

Neil Mitchell speaks to Nicole Pratt