Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson and James Duckworth open clay campaigns on profitable notes on the ATP 250 occasion.
Houston, USA, 3 April 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Houston, USA
Max Purcell’s swap to clay has reaped fast rewards after holding off rising American teenager Alex Michelsen at Houston on Tuesday.
Whereas seeded eighth, Purcell got here into the first-round conflict ranked 9 locations decrease than the big-serving world No.70.
The Australian had succumbed in his earlier 4 matches on laborious courts however steadied to stymy the 19-year-old debutant 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4 for a shot at one other American, wild card Michael Mmoh, within the second spherical.
Purcell was amongst three of his 4 compatriots who opened their campaigns with a win on Tuesday.
World No.105 James Duckworth breezed by way of 6-3 6-3 in opposition to left-handed Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer, who had reached the semifinals and quarterfinals up to now two years. Duckworth’s win set a second-round assembly with third seed and reigning champion, Frances Tiafoe.
World No.108 Thanasi Kokkinakis rebounded from a one-set deficit however was unable to hold the momentum of a 3-1 lead within the deciding set as American Aleksandar Kovacevic prevailed 7-6(3) 6-7(2) 6-4.
Kovacevic will meet Australian Jordan Thompson within the second spherical following the sixth seed’s 6-4 6-4 conquer Chinese language qualifier Wu Yibing.
It was Thompson’s first match win since touchdown a maiden tour title at Los Cabos in February, whereas Wu was contesting his first event since final yr’s Asian Video games in September.
> READ: Practice with Daria Saville – “Having intentions is absolutely necessary”
Aussies in motion – Houston
RESULTS
Males’s singles, first spherical
[8] Max Purcell (AUS) d Alex Michelsen (USA) 7-5 6-7(4) 6-4
James Duckworth (AUS) d [Q] Gijs Brouwer (NED) 6-3 6-3
Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) d Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 7-6(3) 6-7(2) 6-4
[6] Jordan Thompson (AUS) d [Q] Wu Yibing (CHN) 6-4 6-4
Males’s doubles, first spherical
Andrew Harris (AUS)/Rinky Hijikata (AUS) d [2] Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA) 6-4 6-4
Males’s singles, second spherical
Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Brandon Nakashima (USA)
James Duckworth (AUS) v [3] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
[8] Max Purcell (AUS) v [WC] Michael Mmoh (USA)
Males’s doubles, second spherical
[4] Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND)/Vijay-Sundar Prashanth (IND)
John Friends (AUS)/William Blumberg (USA) v [WC] Andres Andrade (ECU)/Ben Shelton (USA)
Andrew Harris (AUS)/Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Luciano Darderi (ITA)/Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) or Fernando Romboli (BRA)/Marcelo Zormann Da Silva (BRA)
Charleston, USA
Astra Sharma has made essentially the most of a fortunate loser place within the Charleston draw to achieve the second spherical on the expense of countrywoman Arina Rodionova.
The world No.135 had tasted success within the South Carolina metropolis three years in the past, when she captured her sole profession title at a WTA 250 occasion there.
On Tuesday, she superior to a gathering with sixteenth seed Lesia Tsurenko following her 6-4 6-1 victory on the WTA 500 event.
Aussies in motion – Charleston
RESULTS
Ladies’s singles, first spherical
[LL] Astra Sharma (AUS) d Arina Rodionova (AUS) 6-4 6-1
Ladies’s doubles, first spherical
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d [WC] McCartney Kessler (USA)/Clervie Ngounoue (USA) 6-2 6-3
COMING UP
Ladies’s singles, second spherical
[Q] Daria Saville (AUS) v [7] Elina Svitolina (UKR)
[LL] Astra Sharma (AUS) v [16] Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)
Ladies’s doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Magda Linette (POL)/Zhang Shuai (CHN) or Ingrid Gamarra Martins (BRA)/Tereza Mihalikova (SVK)
Marrakech, Morocco
Aleksandar Vukic has reached the second spherical at Marrakech after denying Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-3 7-6(5).
The world No.67’s win set a conflict with second seed Sebastian Ofner.
It was his first ATP match win since Indian Wells final month and a fortnight since he reached an ATP Challenger hard-court semifinal at Phoenix.
Aussies in motion – Marrakech
RESULTS
Males’s singles, first spherical
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) d Alexandre Muller (FRA) 6-3 7-6(5)
COMING UP
Males’s singles, second spherical
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [2] Sebastian Ofner (AUT)
Males’s doubles, first spherical
[ALT] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)/Sumit Nagal (IND) v Boris Arias (BOL)/Federico Zeballos (BOL)
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