All the build up to next month’s Australian Open has much-talked-about teenage prodigy Linda Fruhvirtova dreaming of starring under the glare of the Grand Slam spotlight.

“It has. I’ve always imagined playing Grand Slams and playing in the big stadiums with a lot of people and a great atmosphere. I would really like to get there,” Fruhvirtova, during an interview from her home in Prague, told itftennis.com.

Getting there would appear a case of when not if, especially given the pace at which the 15-year-old is progressing and making her presence felt within the professional ranks, at times against players twice her age.

In fact, Fruhvirtova, who sits at a career-high No. 578 in the world standings, is the sixth-highest ranked player aged 17 or younger, with American Coco Gauff heading the list of esteemed starlets.

To add fuel to suggestions that Fruhvirtova is a headline act in waiting, she has made a blistering start to the new season and signalled her intentions by reaching the final of W25 Hamburg, where she lost to China’s Qinwen Zheng.

It was her second such defeat in a matter of weeks after becoming the first player born in 2005 to qualify for a singles final at a professional tournament at W15 Monastir in early December.

On that occasion, Yuliya Hatouka of Belarus intervened to top the podium, although Fruhvirtova is confident that a maiden professional crown – a significant milestone in any career – is not too far away.

“A first professional title would mean a lot and I’m sure I’ll get it sooner or later. I do think I’ll get it soon. I have lost finals but it is good experience for me and I believe that I will win one of the next ones,” she said.

“But I am very happy with my start to the year. I couldn’t have wished for a much better start. I played some good, tough matches [at Hamburg] and it gave me more confidence that I can win women’s tournaments and beat good players.

 “I was sad that I didn’t get the title in Hamburg, but I know what to work on and what I need to improve, so even losing can improve me. I am in good shape and I feel good on the court, both physically and in my mind too.”

As the conversation moves towards aspirations for the year, it is sometimes easy to overlook Fruhvirtova’s age and forget she still has plenty of scope and opportunity for development within the junior arena.

She retains ambitions in this area and a silverware bid features heavily on her campaign wish-list, with a third-round appearance at the 2019 Junior Championships at Wimbledon her best showing at a Junior Grand Slam to date.

But there is a wider plan, which Fruhvirtova hopes will see her collect trophies at professional events, enabling her to climb the rankings ladder and move to within striking distance of some box office names.

“This year, I want to get as high as I can in the women’s rankings, win a Junior Grand Slam title, some women’s titles and just keep improving myself,” added Fruhvirtova, who starred as Czech Republic claimed victory at the 2019 ITF World Junior Tennis Finals in Prostejov.

“I wouldn’t like to say an exact rankings number I would like to reach because I just want to play match by match and enjoy being on court as much as I can rather than counting every place, but maybe around 200.”

No chat with Linda Fruhvirtova would be complete without reference to her younger sister Brenda, who is just 13 years of age, but like her elder sibling collects accolades and plaudits for fun.

In September, Brenda became the youngest player to win an ITF junior singles title at Grade 2 level or above since Mirjana Lucic-Baroni – a future Australian Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist – in 1995. Weeks earlier, France’s Alize Cornet, the world No. 53, suggested Brenda was an “amazing prospect”.

Boosted by them both spending time at Patrick Mouratoglou’s tennis academy in Sophia-Antipolis, the excitement and intrigue surrounding the Fruhvirtovas has inevitably led to them being mentioned in the same breath as the Williams sisters.

Many hurdles need to be cleared before comparisons to Serena and Venus become a reality. However, their unity, fostered by parents Hynek and Martina and intense on-court battles growing up, is undeniable and evident every time the subject arises.

“When your sister achieves something, it is like you achieve it yourself,” said Linda. “If she wins a tournament, it’s like I’ve won a tournament, so it would really mean a lot if we can play at the highest level, play tournaments together, play big matches and win titles.”

Whatever the future may hold and whether lofty goals and similarities eventually play out, the Fruhvirtovas appear unlikely to dodge the challenge or lack the necessary will to find out.

The next port of call for Linda will not be a Grand Slam, but it could potentially be another important stepping-stone on her journey, and she is both undaunted and ready to navigate whatever obstacle stands in her way.

“I don’t get fazed, not really,” she added. “It doesn’t matter if I play against a girl who is 18 or 30, I just concentrate on myself and try to enjoy it. Winning gives me confidence.

“It’s about working hard, improving and working on my weaknesses. The results are coming, I feel I can win matches and, for sure, I believe in myself."