Australian players are shining brightly on the world stage, with Ellen Perez and Alex de Minaur among nine Aussies to scoop a title this week.
Australia, 4 March 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Ellen Perez and Alex de Minaur were among an incredible 15 Australian players to feature in finals this week.
Perez claimed the biggest doubles title of her career at a WTA 500 event in America, while De Minaur defended his title at an ATP tournament in Mexico.
It continues an impressive start to the season for De Minaur, who becomes the first Australian man in 49 years to record seven top-20 wins in the opening two months of a season.
Some of the rising stars of Australian tennis also scored major career milestones this week. The 21-year-old Olivia Gadecki claimed her first WTA doubles title and 18-year-old Taylah Preston notched her first top-50 victory in singles.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Alex de Minaur: The 25-year-old successfully defended his ATP 500 singles title in Acapulco (Mexico). De Minaur scored two top-20 wins (beating world No.12 Stefanos Tsitsipas and world No.11 Casper Ruud) during his impressive run.
Ellen Perez: The 28-year-old combined with American Nicole Melichar-Martinez to win the biggest doubles of her career, claiming the WTA 500 title in San Diego (USA). This is Perez’s sixth WTA title and snaps an eight-match losing streak in finals.
Olivia Gadecki: The 21-year-old won her first WTA doubles title. Gadecki did not drop a set in an impressive run alongside British partner Olivia Nicholls at a WTA 250 tournament in Austin (USA).
John Peers: The 35-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco with Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara. This was Peers’ best tour-level result since September 2023.
Daria Saville: The 29-year-old made the singles quarterfinals at a WTA 500 tournament in San Diego (USA). Saville qualified then saved a match point in a steely comeback to beat world No.47 Tatjana Maria in the second round. This was Saville’s best tour-level result in almost two years.
Taylah Preston: The 18-year-old scored a breakthrough first main-draw win at tour level, upsetting world No.42 Magdalena Frech in the opening round at the WTA 500 tournament in San Diego. This was Preston’s first top-50 victory.
Maya Joint: The 17-year-old recorded a milestone first tour-level main-draw win to make the doubles quarterfinals, alongside Ukrainian Sabina Zeynalova, at…
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