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Four Australian players have joined the main draw at the Australian Open after navigating three opponents at qualifying this week.
It is the most to advance since back in 1992.
Some of the players back then that qualified included Carl Limberger, Simon Youl, Brod Dyke and Pat Rafter.
In 2026 it was Dane Sweeny, Storm Hunter, Jason Kubler and Maddison Inglis that reached the main draw.
Kubler and Inglis were engaged in December and it was a special moment when they realised they had both qualified.
When Inglis went to play her match she saw that Kubler was down a set, she then saw him at her match more quickly than you would expect a three set match to last.
It wasn’t until after she had won that Kubler shared the news that he had won, but it was after Alexander Blockx had retired early in the third set with a shoulder issue.
The match for Kubler ended at 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 retired.
Inglis won her match against 14th seed from Germany Tamara Korpatsch 6-4, 6-4.
Inglis had fought off match points in her first round match against Leyre Romero Gormaz before advancing.
The Spaniard was up 5-3 before Inglis fought back to 5-5. The Spaniard again broke and was serving at 6-5. Romero Gormaz was at Advantage twice and had the match on her serve. Inglis hit a forehand winner to save the first. The second was saved after Romero Gormaz hit long.
Earlier Dane Sweeny had defeated Italy’s Stefano Travaglia 7-6(5), 7-6(3). There was a video of Sweeny where he was seen throwing himself onto the court as it playing on grass.
In another wonderful story, we saw Storm Hunter qualify. Hunter, the former world no. 1 in doubles is on the comeback trail after rupturing her Achilles in early 2024.
It was interesting that she was up against another former world no. 1 in doubles, Taylor Townsend.
Hunter advanced after a 7-6(6), 6-2 win against Townsend. The American had held a set point in the opening set tie-breaker.
For Hunter it is the first time she will play in singles at a Grand Slam since losing in the third round at the 2024 Australian Open.
The first round matches for the qualifiers are listed below.
Storm Hunter (AUS) v Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP)
Maddison Inglis (AUS) v Kimberly Birrell (AUS)
Jason Kubler (AUS) v [29] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
Dane Sweeny (AUS) v Gael Monfils (FRA)