Britain’s Fran Jones was forced to retire in the 2nd-round of Australian Open qualifying on Thursday and had to be helped off court, while Harriet ©, the British No 3, also lost in straight sets.
I’ve never made final round of qualies here at Melbourne Park, so I’m super excited. It would be a dream come true [to qualify here]. My parents fly in on Sunday so I, kind of, have to qualify. It’s a bit of a goal for me if I want them to watch me play singles. Storm Hunter
Jones’ problem flared up when the 23-year-old was serving at 4-2 and, after trying to continue, she had to stop before leaving the court in distress.
The British No 7 missed a large part of the second half of 2023 through injury, and had looked in command at 3-6 7-6(5), 4-0 against 172nd-ranked Ella Seidel from Germany, seemingly on course to move into the final round within one more win from reaching the main draw.
She called for the physio at 4-2 deuce in the 3rd set, though, and continued after a quick chat at the side of the court, but, with players unable to call a medical timeout for cramping, it quickly became clear that Jones would be unable to compete as the problem persisted.
Jones was docked a point when Seidel served at 4-3, 40-30 because she was not ready to play and was doubled over in discomfort. At the end of the next game, Jones quit.
Emma Raducanu is one of just 3 British women to compete in the main draw of the Australian Open this year
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Elsewhere, Dart suffered a disappointing 6-4 6-4 loss to Ukraine’s Yulia Starodubtseva, meaning that only Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage and Emma Raducanu will be flying the British flag in the women’s singles this year Down Under, all as direct entries.
Raducanu, the former British No 1, allayed injury fears in a two-hour practice session, where she showed no signs of any physical problems.
The 21-year old, who is set to play in her first Grand Slam in a year after wrist and ankle surgeries, withdrew from two exhibition matches in Melbourne this week.
The 2021 US Open champion made her competitive come-back in Auckland last week after almost 9 months away from the WTA Tour, and felt soreness after playing two matches there.
Destanee Aiava is one of 5 Aussies to make it into the final round of qualifying
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For the first time in Melbourne Park’s 36-year history, 5 Aussies have advanced to the final round of the AO women’s qualifying singles event.
Joining Priscilla Hon at the final hurdle thanks to wins on Thursday were Destanee Aiava, Storm Hunter, Maddison Inglis and Maya Joint.
Aiava recovered from a precarious position in her 2nd-round clash with Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann, trailing 2-6 3-5 against the former World No 21 before digging deep.
“I’ve worked so hard and, obviously, I want to make it through to main draw,” the 23-year-old Aussie said after her 2-6 7-5 6-1 win. “Being a home Slam it’s, obviously, very important to me and I love this tournament, it’s my favourite one.
“All my family and friends came to support me today, but I think I wanted to get through for myself.”
The World No 210 reeled off 11 of the final 12 games for her second Top 150 win this week, setting up a final-round encounter with World No 98 Renata Zarazua from Mexico, who came through a lengthy ordeal against Jule Neimeier from Germany, 6-4 5-7 7-6(9).
Zarazua, the world No 98 had 2 match points at 5-1 in the 3rd and required 6 more in the match tiebreak to prevail.
Storm Hunter, the World No 1 in doubles, is hoping to make it into the main draw so her parents can watch her playing singles next week
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Hunter, the World doubles No 1, produced a spirited performance of her own to beat another Swiss in Celine Naef to extend her winning streak in Grand Slam qualifying matches to 8.
“I’ve never made final round of qualies here at Melbourne Park, so I’m super excited,” Hunter said after notching up her 6-3 7-6(4) win. “It would be a dream come true [to qualify here].
“My parents fly in on Sunday so I, kind of, have to qualify. It’s a bit of a goal for me if I want them to watch me play singles.”
A resurgent Inglis continued her winning run with a 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Ukrainian Katarina Zavatska, and is now one win from qualifying at major for the first time since Wimbledon 2022.
Earlier on Thursday, 17-year-old wildcard Maya Joint eliminated No 32 seed Darja Semenistaja from Serbia to extend her dream debut at Grand Slam level.
“I’m lost for words right now, I did not expect to come this far,” she said. “I’m surprised, I’m happy and just glad I can play again tomorrow.”
16-year old Alina Korneeva narrowly reached the final round after she fended off a pair of match points against China’s Ma Ye-Xin on Thursday
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Alina Korneeva from Russia is yet to step foot in a Grand Slam main draw, but the teenager is already quietly stamping a reputation for winning the hard way at Melbourne Park following her 5th straight 3-set triumph.
Last year’s junior No 1 narrowly reached the final round after she fended off a pair of match points against China’s Ma Ye-Xin, 5-7 6-4 7-6(5).
The 2-hour, 53-minute win followed her 7-5 3rd-set victory over 31st seed Sachia Vickery from the USA in the opening round, and a trio of 3-setters for the girls’ singles title at last year’s Australian Open.
“The match was not really good for me in tennis, but mentally I was really strong and really grateful for this,” 16-year old Korneeva beamed. “I’m really happy that I saved some match points because I was concentrating not to think about them.”
Korneeva will next meet Anna Bondar for a place in the main draw, the Hungarian having defeated Ivana Popovio, an Aussie wild-card, 6-4 6-4.
In the final women’s qualifying match of the day, Zeynep Sonmez from Turkey persevered through pain for a 4-6 6-1 6-1 victory over 13th seed Olga Danilovic of Serbia.
It brought the 21-year old to within reach of becoming the first Turkish woman to play an Australian Open main draw since former World No 60 Cagla Buyukakcay in 2017.
“It was a very emotional match for me,” Sonmez said. “I have a tear on my left abdominal, so I tried my best and just so happy that I won.
“Cagla is like an older sister for all of us, the younger generation, so we learn a lot from her.
“It would mean a lot [in Turkey to reach the main draw] but right now I need to think about recovering. If that would happen though it would be amazing.”
For a place in the main draw, Sonmez will face Swiss Lulu Sun. a 6-1 1-6 6-4 winner over Su Jeong Jang from Korea.
In other results on Thursday, Czech 10th seed Brenda Fruhvirtova narrowly kept alive her hopes of qualifying for a second straight year after saving a match point against Australian Talia Gibson, 1-6 6-3 7-5, while a trio of Ukrainians, top seed Dayana Yastremska, 24th seed Daria Snigur and Yuliia Starodubtseva, and Czechs 19-year-old Dominika Salkova and Gabriela Knutson also advanced to the final round.
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