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Loeb, who was also in the main draw for last year's U.S. Open Juniors in Flushing, N.Y. where she won her first-round before falling in the second, said she looked forward to her trip to the other side of the world for the competition.
"I'm really excited to get this opportunity to compete in the junior Australian open," Loeb said Sunday. "I have worked very hard to get to this point and I believe I can do well there. I will have to adjust to the big time difference and climate change, but I've been hydrating a lot and preparing pretty well."
Loeb, 17, won the New York State Public Schools singles title two year ago as a sophomore then left the school and turned to online studies via California-based Laurel Springs School. Now a senior, she has more time to spend training and competing. The 22-hour trip to Australia will be her longest tennis journey yet.
Loeb, who trains with coach Felix Alvarado of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, won her first two professional events in 2012, taking titles at Buffalo and Amelia Island, South Carolina. This will be her first trip out of the country to compete.
Loeb said she is scheduled for a first-round match on Saturday.
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