On the final afternoon of qualifying at Roland Garros, Storm Hunter has blown some welcome momentum into the Australian girls’s problem on the French Open.
Kim Birrell had confronted the lonely prospect of being the one Australian lady in the primary draw – and solely then as a result of she landed a wildcard by way of her nationwide federation’s reciprocal association with its French counterparts.
But the skilled and combative Hunter ensured 25-year-old Birrell could have firm when the large present kicks off on Sunday after she beat US teen Ashlyn Krueger 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 in her final-round qualifier at Roland Garros.
It’s given the Queenslander a difficult however winnable opening-round contest with Spain’s world No.93 Nuria Parrizas Diaz, an honest reward for the lady who competed in Paris as Storm Sanders in 2021 however has since acquired married.
It was a troublesome contest with Krueger however Hunter’s expertise noticed her maintain robust within the late phases of each units in opposition to the 19-year-old, who’s risen to No.162 within the rankings.
Hunter, the star of Australia’s run to the BJK Cup remaining final yr, has a singles rating of 202 which actually does not replicate her true potential as she concentrates on doubles at which she’s soared to a high-flying world No.5.
Indeed, she and Belgian Elise Mertens might be among the many favourites for the doubles crown in Paris.
But efficiently negotiating the qualifying minefield for the second time in three years, Hunter, who hails from Rod Laver’s house city of Rockhampton, can really feel assured as the primary Australian lady to earn qualification twice at Roland Garros since Michelle Jaggard-Lai in 1994.
Successful French Open qualifying campaigns are uncommon for Australian girls, with solely Rachel McQuillan in 1996, Sophie Ferguson in 2010 and Olivia Rogowska in 2015 additionally reaching the feat.
But hopes that, within the absence of the injured stars Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville, three Australian girls may nonetheless make the primary draw have been shortly extinguished earlier on Friday when Melbourne’s 23-year-old Jaimee Fourlis was floor down by skilled French wildcard Fiona Ferro 6-3 2-6 6-4 in her ‘remaining’.
Sydney’s Alexei Popyrin has, in the meantime, realized that he is drawn the one qualifier no-one needed within the first-round – Aslan Karatsev.
The robust Russian, who burst into prominence on the 2021 Australian Open when he made a spectacular run to the semi-finals, has proven a current dramatic revival by reaching the Madrid Open semis and taking pictures again as much as No.62 on the earth rankings. He additionally did not lose a set in qualifying.
Jason Kubler, although, will not be too sad along with his first-round opponent being Facundo Diaz Acosta, an Argentine who really acquired overwhelmed in his final-round qualifier however who’s been given a reprieve as a ‘fortunate loser’.
WHO THE AUSSIES PLAY IN THE FRENCH OPEN FIRST ROUND (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING):
Men’s singles
18-Alex de Minaur v Ilya Ivashka (BLR)
Max Purcell v Jordan Thompson
Jason Kubler v Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG)
Alexei Popyrin v Aslan Karatsev (RUS)
Chris O’Connell v Taro Daniel (JPN)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v 20-Dan Evans (GBR)
Women’s singles
Kim Birrell v Leolia Jeanjean (FRA)
Storm Hunter v Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP)
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
