After top-ranked Aussie Alex de Minaur led a local charge into the second round on Monday, another six locals are hoping to join the party on Tuesday’s final day of first round action.
De Minaur advanced past former world No.3 Milos Raonic in abbreviated fashion when the big-serving Canadian withdrew hurt, trailing 2-0 in the third when it was still a set-all.
The Sydneysider was joined in victory by doubles world No.1 Storm Hunter, the powerful Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson – who declared the Australian Open was “woke” on route to a five-set triumph. Just one Aussie, Christopher O’Connell, won on day one of the tournament.
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While not officially Australia’s top-ranked woman due to an injury-impacted 2023 campaign, Ajla Tomljanovic heads into her first round match with Croatia’s Petra Martic with reasonable expectations, after making several slam quarter-final runs across 2021 and 2022.
She caps off the night session on the more populist John Cain Arena, after crowd favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis (vs Austria’s Sebastian Ofner, not before 4pm) and young Olivia Gadecki (vs American Sloane Stephens, first match) are in action.
Raonic retires in upsetting ending | 01:04
Elsewhere top-50 bolter Max Purcell is a strong chance to advance against Hungarian qualifier Mate Valkusz, while wildcard James McCabe (vs American Alex Michelsen) and particularly Kim Birrell (vs streaky No.11 Jelena Ostapenko) have a tougher task.
On centre court, play gets underway with women’s No.1 Iga Swiatek in a mouth-watering clash with 2020 champion Sofia Kenin.
HEARTBREAKING AUSSIE APOLOGY DESPITE GUTSY EFFORT
Popular Aussie Daria Saville is still burning after a tough first-round defeat on Monday, sharing an emotional social media post after a hot-and-cold performance in near a three-hour 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 5-7 loss.
The Australian – handed a wildcard for the tournament – struggled with her ball toss and serve, copping 14 double faults as she fell to Polish world No. 69 Magdalena Frech on Monday despite winning the first set.
After three-straight double faults handed Frech a key break early in the second set, Saville slammed a racquet to the ground.
And her frustration at the defeat was clear in her emotional Instagram post today, writing: “Yesterday hurt. This morning it still hurts.
“Struggling to come up with anything positive to say about my performance except for fighting real hard in the end.
“Thanks to everyone who came and supported me and I’m really sorry
“But hey … at least I’m healthy and woke up feeling half decent.”
Saville suffered an ACL injury in late 2022 and returned midway through last year, securing some impressive results to climb through the rankings from outside the top 300 back to world number 152 at present – still some distance off her career best of No.20 in 2017.
The post drew a wave of support from the likes of Rennae Stubbs, Casey Dellacqua and Priscilla Hon.
AUSSIE’S HORROR BEATDOWN AFTER HOT START TO UPSET BID
21-year-old Olivia Gadecki was handed a brutal task in her Australian Open first round, facing 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens on John Cain Arena.
Gadecki enjoyed a strong 2023, claiming a first-ever Grand Slam singles win when she reached the second round at the Australian Open and surging up the rankings (now No.120).
And her hopes of a huge upset over the former world number three began in perfect fashion, winning the first eight points of the match to break to love and race to a 2-0 lead.
But world number 44 Stephens absolutely blew away the Aussie wildcard from that point on, claiming the first set 6-3 in 25 minutes.
There were promising signs for Gadecki early in the second set, after she battled back to save two break points and hold serve with an ace.
But it was the only game she would win in the set as a near-flawless Stephens ran out 6-3 6-1 winner in under an hour.
A double fault ended the tough learning experience as Stephens broke for the fifth time in the match and sealed a 56-minute victory, her first at the Aus Open since 2019.
“This is the wokest tournament ever!” | 00:37
‘WE DON’T STORM INTO AN OFFICE’: AUSSIE STAR’S DEFENCE OF WILD CROWD RANT
Jordan Thompson says his declaration the Australian Open is “the wokest tournament ever” was out of frustration over rules that see fans “making a nuisance”.
The Aussie’s five-set win over compatriot Aleksandar Vukic saw him raging over new fan-friendly rules which mean attendees can move into their seats between games, not just during longer breaks like a change of ends.
While he did not attempt to explain what he meant by calling the tournament “woke” – which typically refers to awareness of social inequality – Thompson said he “had no idea” about the changes.
“Heat of the battle. Probably shouldn’t have said it,” Thompson said of the “woke” comment.
“Yeah, there is a few things that concerned me, but we won’t go into that.”
He continued: “How many years which have we been playing tennis, and then all of a sudden they spring on us that they can come in between not even a sitdown. So it just disrupts everyone’s rhythm.
“I mean, if someone is walking at the back and you are throwing the ball toss up, it’s impossible to see it because you have a moving person behind it.
“Yeah, it’s, in my opinion, it’s not good. I’m choosing my words carefully.
“I just don’t understand why we would do that. We are out there working, that’s our job, we’re tennis players. We don’t come in and storm into an office while someone is in a meeting.
“Like someone is just barging through the door, making a nuisance. Even though it doesn’t seem that way, but it is. It’s very off-putting. That’s one thing you can compare it to.”
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley fired back on Tuesday morning, defending the decision.
“What we’ve said is we want fans to sit in their seats when play is on – that’s the expectation coming into the stadium and that’s always been the case. And that hasn’t changed this year either,” Tiley told Channel 9.
“What we have done is try to get their fans into their seats quicker – the worst situation you can have as a fan is waiting outside the stadium for three games, for five games, you could be waiting for up to 20-30 minutes before you get in.
“We don’t want that for the fans either.
“There’s been no rule change other than trying to get the fans into the stadium as quickly as possible.
“The fans know, that come and watch tennis, when you’re in your seat the idea is not to disrupt play.”
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DAY 3 ORDER OF PLAY (Show courts & Aussies in action)
Day session from 12pm AEDT, night session from 7pm AEDT, unless listed
ROD LAVER ARENA
Day session
No.1 Iga Swiatek (POL) vs Sofia Kenin (USA)
No.8 Holger Rune (DEN) vs Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
Night session
No.3 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) vs Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs No.2 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
MARGARET COURT ARENA
Day session
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) vs No.11 Casper Ruud (NOR)
Camila Giorgi (ITA) vs No.18 Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
Night session
No.6 Alexander Zverev (GER) vs Dominik Koepfer (GER)
Rebecca Marino (CAN) vs No.5 Jessiac Pegula (USA)
JOHN CAIN ARENA (from 11am)
Sloane Stephens (USA) vs Olivia Gadecki (AUS)
No.13 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs Marton Fucsovics (HUN)
Not before 4pm: Sebastian Ofner (AUT) vs Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)
Not before 7pm: Petra Martic (CRO) vs Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS)
AUSSIES IN ACTION
Kia Arena, Match 2: Max Purcell (AUS) vs Mate Valkusz (HUN)
Court 3, 11am: James McCabe (AUS) vs Alex Michelsen (USA)
Court 3, Match 3: No.11 Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) vs Kimberly Birrell (AUS)
MORE NEWS BELOW!
McENROE HITS OUT AT ‘LAUGHABLE’ PROSPECT AMID NADAL’S NEW ROLE
Rafael Nadal has been named ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation, as the Gulf kingdom aims to host more professional tournaments as part of a broader sports push.
Nadal, who has previously said there was a “high percentage” that 2024 would be his farewell to the tour, recently visited a junior tennis clinic in Riyadh. His new role will involve “dedicated time in the kingdom each year” to grow the sport as well as the development of a new Rafa Nadal Academy.
“Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I’m excited to be part of that,” the 37-year-old Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slams, said in a federation press release.
“I continue to play tennis as I love the game. But beyond playing I want to help the sport grow far and wide across the world and in Saudi there is real potential.”
The announcement comes after a busy 2023 for tennis in Saudi Arabia, which hosted its first ATP Tour event – the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah – and closed out the year with exhibition matches pitting Novak Djokovic against Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka against Ons Jabeur.
The five-year deal to bring the Next Gen ATP Finals to Jeddah “signals the country’s intent to make tennis a major part of its international calendar and is the first of many likely professional tennis tournaments to be held in the country,” the Saudi federation said.
There are reports Saudi Arabia is also keen to purchase high-profile tennis tournaments, such as the Miami Open and Madrid Open – reports that prompted a strong response from seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John McEnroe.
“It wouldn’t shock me,” McEnroe said on ESPN prior to the Australian Open starting.
“Let’s put it this way: money talks. ‘Oh, no, I wouldn’t do that. How much was I offered? On second thought maybe I will do that.’”
Sport is a major component of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a tourism and business hub while transitioning the world’s biggest crude oil exporter away from fossil fuels.
Saudi Arabia has lured football stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to play in the Saudi Pro League, hosted heavyweight bouts and funded the upstart LIV Golf tour to take on the PGA Tour.
The kingdom has also been named host of the 2034 World Cup.
But Saudi Arabia has been accused by its critics of “sportswashing” by using sport to improve its international reputation after widespread criticism for its human rights and environmental record.
McEnroe, who’s in Australia to commentate on the Melbourne Park Grand Slam, said he was particularly disturbed by the prospect of moving the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia.
“Personally, I disagree with it completely, with the golf and the tennis,” McEnroe said.
“The ladies are going to play the WTA Finals there? Are you kidding me?
“Because they treat women so well? That part is to me laughable.”
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