At least one Australian might be assured a spot within the second spherical on the French Open after the draw was accomplished, but it surely didn’t embody Ajla Tomljanovic, who withdrew from the match.
Tomljanovic’s last-minute resolution, as she continues to get well from a knee damage, leaves Kim Birrell as the one feminine Australian within the area for the 12 months’s second grand slam.
Alex de Minaur will headline the boys’s marketing campaign for Australia and tackle Belarusian world No.86 Ilya Ivashka within the opening spherical.
He’s Australia’s solely seed this 12 months and has had little success on the clay at Roland Garros, with 4 first-round exits from his six earlier campaigns.
But passage to the second spherical might be assured for an Australian, with Max Purcell set to face fellow Sydneysider Jordan Thompson for his opener.
Chris O’Connell, who was knocked out of the Geneva Open quarter-final on Thursday, opens in opposition to Japan’s Taro Daniel, with the winner set for a probable second-round conflict with world No.1 and males’s title favorite Carlos Alcaraz.
Wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis begins in opposition to British twentieth seed Dan Evans, with former champion Stan Wawrinka presumably ready in spherical 2 for the winner.
Jason Kubler and former French Open junior champion Alexei Popyrin fared significantly better and can each play qualifiers within the first spherical.
Birrell, who will fly the flag solo after Tomljanovic’s official withdrawal hours earlier than Thursday’s draw, will play French wildcard Leolia Jeanjean within the first spherical.
Despite the naked variety of Aussie girls, retired Aussie champion Sam Stosur stated whereas it was “obviously not ideal”, she didn’t consider there was any challenge with the event of native expertise.
“You want more players in the draw, that goes without saying, and hopefully Ajla can make a comeback this week,” Stosur stated.
“If not, then hopefully it’ll be very soon – she’s had a fantastic year last year and now to miss all the year so far is really devastating for her, but I know she’s going to work as hard as she can to get back out there.
“It’s all cyclical, it goes around in cycles – next year we could have 10 and this year will be all forgotten about. You’ve got to do the best you can with whoever’s in the draw, and I’m wishing those two all the best.”
AUSSIES AT THE FRENCH OPEN
Men’s singles
18-Alex de Minaur v Ilya Ivashka (BLR)
Max Purcell v Jordan Thompson
Jason Kubler v qualifier
Alexei Popyrin v qualifier
Chris O‘Connell v Taro Daniel (JPN)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v 20-Dan Evans (GBR)
Women’s singles
Kim Birrell v Leolia Jeanjean (FRA)
Source: www.news.com.au
