Back from ban, Verdasco wins in qualifying

Back from ban, Verdasco wins in qualifying

Former semi-finalist Fernando Verdasco’s hopes of reaching an 18th Australian Open predominant draw stay alive after he fought his means into the second spherical of qualifying.

The former world No.7, who misplaced a five-set Open semi to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in 2009, fought again from a set all the way down to beat Croatia’s Nino Serdarusic 3-6 6-4 6-2 on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old Spaniard solely turned free to compete once more on Sunday after serving a two-month doping ban, acquired after he forgot to resume his therapeutic use exemption for the ADHD treatment methylphenidate.

Now ranked No.125, Verdasco will face China’s Shang Juncheng within the second spherical on Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s motion at Melbourne Park, Australians Marc Polmans, Li Tu, Priscilla Hon, Ellen Perez and Astra Sharma had been amongst these advancing to the second spherical.

Polmans, who’s making an attempt to construct type after an ankle harm restricted his 2022, simply accounted for Lukas Klein 6-3 6-4 whereas Tu beat Jozef Kovalik 6-2 6-2.

Wildcard Sharma beat Katharina Hobgarski 6-3 5-7 6-1 whereas Hon prevailed 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 over American Katrina Scott.

Perez made mild work of compatriot Petra Hule, sweeping her apart 6-0 6-2 in simply over an hour.

Maddison Inglis misplaced to Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Omar Jasika’s bid to succeed in his first grand slam predominant draw was short-lived, with the 25-year-old knocked out in straight units by American Denis Kudla 6-1 6-1.

James Duckworth misplaced to Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 6-4 whereas wildcards Edward Winter and Philip Sekulic had been each knocked out by Japanese opponents.

Winter was overwhelmed 7-5 6-1 by Rio Noguchi whereas Sekulic misplaced to Yosuke Watanuki 6-4 6-2.

The pair had been amongst these awarded wildcards forward of the snubbed Bernard Tomic.

Fellow Australian Alexandra Bozovic took on qualifying prime seed Alycia Parks and was overwhelmed 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) whereas wildcard Elysia Bolton was overwhelmed by Jodie Burrage 6-2 6-4.