15 down to four as Aussie women seek main draw action

At the start of the week 15 Australian women hopefuls took to the courts at Melbourne Park with the dream of qualifying for the Australian Open main draw.

Now just four remain in with a chance.

Australia’s highest ranked female player, Kimberly Birrell fought her way past fellow Australian Priscilla Hon.

Birrell ranked at no. 99 who was unlucky to miss out on direct entry, got off to a slow start against Hon. The pairing had also played each other in the opening round in Brisbane last week with Birrell reaching the quarterfinals and Hon reaching the doubles final.

Birrell was 1-4 in the opening set before she won the next five games to claim the opening set.

Hon would break in the sixth game of the second set to lead 4-2, from there she would maintain that edge to take the set 6-3.

In the deciding set it was Hon that got the first break in the seventh game to be serving at 4-3, only to see a string of errors allow Birrell to break back.

Hon looked to be on top as she raced to 0-40 in the next game before a forehand error from Hon allowed Birrell to work her way back into the game. A Birrell forehand winner and it was 30-40, a forced error and it was deuce.

After Hon had another break point, it was Birrell that finally wrapped up the game.

Another long game followed and after Hon wasn’t able to take the game on her two opportunities, Birrell broke to advance.

“I don’t think Pri (Hon) and I have ever had a quick match, to be honest,” Birrell laughed after a battle lasting nearly three hours. “Even though we played each other last week, we practice together all the time, so we know each other’s games inside out. She’s an incredible player, has some big weapons, so I knew what to expect and she knew what to expect of me.

“I’m super proud that I was just able to get through it, I think, just based on my guts and determination.”

Inglis fought her was past the no. 5 seed Sara Sorribes Tormo who had earlier defeated Jaimee Fourlis in a marathon match that went close to four hours.

“She (Sorribes Tormo) had almost a four-hour match yesterday with Jaimee. So, thanks to Jaimee for wearing her out a little bit,” Inglis joked.

“I knew today was gonna be tough because that’s how she plays. She has really long matches and battles and she never goes away. So I knew I had to beat her even up at 5-3 in the third, I knew I had to win that match.”

Inglis has been here before, losing in the third round at last years AO qualifying and at the 2022 US Open. She has also reached the main draw from qualifying at the 2022 Wimbledon tournament after reaching the third round at the Australian Open that year after receiving a wildcard.

Against the Spaniard, Inglis hit 48 winners to 11, but the Spaniard would keep getting the ball back and the Australian made 55 unforced errors.

Inglis got off to the best possible start with a break in the opening game, but she was broken in the fourth game for 2-2. Sorribes Tormo broke in the 8th game to serve at 5-3. Inglis broke back before dropping serve again to lost that set 6-4.

The Spaniard held serve and then broke to lead 2-0. Inglis would get that break back straight away and it was 2-2 after Inglis saved a break point in the fourth game.

Inglis broke to love in the 7th game and then held to love to take control of the match.

Another love break in a game that saw Inglis hit three forehand winners before Sorribes Tormo double faulted on match point.

Destanee Aiava is looking to qualify for back-to-back slams after she got through qualifying at the US Open in 2024.

She had an easier time against Panna Udvardy the world no. 157 from Hungary. Aiava winning 6-4, 6-1.

The final Australian to advance was world no. 424 Elena Micic. Darya Astakhova was forced to retire with the score at 6-3, 3-1 in favour of Micic.

The matches that decide who will advance are listed below.

Maddison Inglis (AUS) v [19] Julia Riera (ARG)
Destanee Aiava (AUS) v [23] Eva Lys (GER)
[9] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v Oksana Selekhmeteva
[WC] Elena Micic (AUS) v [6] Polina Kudermetova

Birrell should have enough to get past Selekhmeteva, although the Russian defeated two players ranked at no. 122 and no. 141 in the Canberra International, so she is in decent form.

Micic has a tough ask against the finalist from Brisbane in Ukraine’s Polina Kudermetova. The Ukrainian now ranked at no. 57 might be feeling the effects of a tough Brisbane campaign.

Kudermetova played 8 singles matches after qualifying. She defeated world no. 9 Daria Kasatkina in the round of 16 and pushed world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Aiava has a good opportunity to advance. She plays world no. 129 from Germany, Eva Lys. The German was lucky to get past Rodionova.

Inglis faces world no. 147 Julia Riera from Argentina who is better known for her clay court results, although the Argentinian did reach the third round of qualifying last year and like Inglis, is looking to go one better.

The other Australians that reached the second round were Taylah Preston who lost to Harriet Dart (GBR) 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-2.

Priscilla Hon as mentioned above lost to Birrell.

Astra Sharma lost to Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Arina Rodionova lost to (23) Eva Lys (GER) 7-5, 6-4 after letting a 5-1 advantage slip in the first set, including having several set points in game 8, and not closing out a game at 5-6 when she held game point.

In the second set Rodionova again let a big lead slip away after being up 3-0 with two breaks and the after being broken the Australian was again two breaks up at 4-1.