Source: Australian Open
Max Purcell brought about a change in fortunes after grim day three for the home contingent at the Australian Open, and Thanasi Kokkinakis will be hoping for more of the same as he continues his battle against 37th-ranked Sebastian Ofner.
Kokkinakis, who entered the match ranked 43 spots below his opponent, currently has the home crowd behind him in what is likely to be a tightly contested first-round match.
The Americans got the better of the Australians early in the day, with wildcard entry Olivia Gadecki losing in straight sets to Sloan Stephens 6-3 6-1, despite winning the first eight points of the game.
From two games up in the first set, Gadecki failed to make her early lead count and only won seven more points as she committed a series of unforced errors.
Her countryman James Mccabe looked like he was set for a similar bruising loss to Alex Michelsen. He fought back from being broken early and looked set to clinch the set in a tiebreaker, but his American opponent clawed back from three points down to take first blood.
Despite Michelsen channelling his inner Leyton Hewitt every time he won an important point, Mccabe rallied to take the second set 6-3, before being steamrolled in the third 6-1.
The fourth followed a similar story and Michelsen sent the young Australian home, despite Mccabe’s spirited early performance.
James Mccabe recovers during his first-round match against Alex Michelsen. Photo: AAP
Max Purcell avoided a similar fate to fellow Australians, beating Mate Valkusz in a gutsy 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 slog in the afternoon heat.
Kokkinakis remains one of the major Aussie chances to progress alongside Alex De Minaur, who won in a walkover on Monday night, Purcell and Ajla Tomljanovic, who plays later on Tuesday after tears and heartbreak last year.
Tomlijanovic, who pulled out of the 2023 Australian Open because of a knee injury, faces world No.14 Petra Martic.
“I’m always dangerous in these stages of the tournament,” she said ahead of her opener.
“I still feel like people don’t want to play me, especially in the early rounds.”
Iga Swiatek, the Polish world No.1, faced Sofia Kenin under the blazing hot sun midday sun at Rod Laver Arena, but was broken early by the underdog American.
She returned serve to break quickly as she pushed to find her rhythm.
Kenin – battling through a thigh injury – became more agitated as the game progressed. Channelling her frustration, the American broke back in an important game, setting up to serve to take the first set.
A drenched Swiatek, with her clothes clinging to her body, wasn’t going out without a fight and returned the favour before winning the tiebreaker.
Swiatek had a slow start to her first-round match, but quickly found her groove to win in straight sets. Photo: AAP
In the second set, Swiatek convincingly dispatched her opponent as she found her groove, winning 6-2 and taking the match in straight sets.
Many players have expressed their frustration about a rule change in Melbourne that allows fans to come and go between games, instead of having to wait for players to change ends after every second game.
Australia’s Jordan Thompson was the most outspoken, labelling the Melbourne slam “the most woke tournament ever” on Monday. On Tuesday he apologised, but stuck with his opposition to the decision.
“Heat of the battle, I probably shouldn’t have said it,” Thompson said.
“How many years which have we been playing tennis and then all of a sudden they spring [that] on us.”
Elsewhere, world No.1 Novak Djokovic asked the referee to tell the fans to “shut the f— up”. during his first-round match. He was in two minds about the change after his victory.
“I did not know about that new policy or rule,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“I don’t know if it is the best rule, but I understand from a tournament and fan perspective.”
Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley defended the decision and most fans asked by The New Daily didn’t have a strong opinion. One summed it up with the view that the players should “just get on with playing.”