British Hopes Narrow After Final Qualifying Round Defeats
Harriet Dart and Billy Harris were unable to secure spots in the Australian Open main draw after losing their respective final qualifying matches. Dart fell to Japan’s Nao Hibino, 6-4, 7-5, despite serving for the second set. Harris was beaten 7-5, 6-2 by Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak, ending his hopes of a debut in Melbourne’s main draw.
British Representation in the Main Draw
Despite these setbacks, seven British players will compete in the Australian Open singles main draw, starting on Sunday:
- Jacob Fearnley will face home favorite Nick Kyrgios in the first round as the Australian returns to Grand Slam tennis.
- Jack Draper, Britain’s men’s number one, is set to take on Mariano Navone of Argentina.
- Katie Boulter, Britain’s highest-ranked woman, will compete against Canada’s Rebecca Marino.
Dart and Harris: A Recap
- Harriet Dart: The British number four struggled to capitalize on her opportunities, serving for the second set but ultimately falling short.
- Billy Harris: Harris, who made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon 2024 as a wildcard, was aiming to reach the main draw in Melbourne for the first time.
Notable Qualifying Performances
- Joao Fonseca (Brazil): The 18-year-old Brazilian reached his first Grand Slam main draw with a commanding 6-4, 6-1 win over Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante. Fonseca, the second-youngest winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals, continues to impress as a rising star.
- Hady Habib (Lebanon): The 26-year-old made history by becoming the first Lebanese player to reach a Grand Slam men’s singles main draw in the Open era. Habib saved three match points to defeat Clement Chidekh of France.
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