The opening day of the Australian Open brought late-night heartbreak for two Australian players, as both Daria Saville and Adam Walton succumbed in gripping final-set battles.
Daria Saville, competing as a wildcard, faced a daunting challenge against world number 73, Anna Blinkova. Despite creating a remarkable 15 break point opportunities, Saville managed to convert only three, ultimately falling in a hard-fought match that ended 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 after two hours and 32 minutes on Margaret Court Arena.
In a dramatic twist on Court 3, 25-year-old Adam Walton initially surged ahead, winning the first two sets against French world number 74, Quentin Halys. However, Walton’s momentum slipped away as Halys clawed back to win the match 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7/4), 7-5, after an intense three hours and 39 minutes that stretched past midnight.
Earlier in the day, men’s wildcard Li Tu faced a tough opponent in Czech 24th seed Jiří Lehečka, losing 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(7/1). Omar Jasika also met defeat, falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to Frenchman Hugo Gaston.
On a brighter note, the tournament’s women’s number one seed, Aryna Sabalenka, showcased her prowess with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory over Sloane Stephens. Men’s number two seed Alexander Zverev also solidified his standing, defeating French wildcard Loucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
However, heavy rain and storms wreaked havoc on the schedule, forcing the rescheduling of eight matches. Notably, Australian Aleksandar Vukic’s clash with Bosnian world number 82, Damir Džumhur, has been postponed to Monday, adding to the day’s challenges.
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