Australian Storm Sanders and Swiss partner Belinda Bencic bravely saved three match points in an epic first-round doubles match at Wimbledon.
London, Great Britain, 2 July 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Australian players produced some incredible comebacks to keep their doubles hopes alive on day five at Wimbledon.
World No.12 Storm Sanders and Swiss partner Belinda Bencic saved three match points in a first-round win against Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and Hungary’s Dalma Galfi.
The rain-delayed match extended to a deciding match tiebreak, where Sanders and Bencic eventually triumphed after an epic 34 points.
After two hours and 33 minutes on court, they sealed a hard-fought 6-2 6-7(7) 7-6(16) victory.
Meanwhile, John Peers, Australia’s top-ranked man at world No.16, and his Slovak partner Filip Polasek clawed back from a two-set deficit to secure their first-round victory.
The seventh-seeded duo overcome American Mackenzie McDonald and Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in a two-hour and 54-minute battle, sealing a 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-2 win.
Ellen Perez also had a day to remember, recording a second-round victory in the ladies’ doubles competition alongside American Nicole Melichar-Martinez to advance to the third round for the first time at Wimbledon.
The 26-year-old also posted a first-round victory in her mixed doubles debut at the tournament, teaming with Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands for a straight-sets win.
Aussies in action – Wimbledon
TODAY’S RESULTS
Gentlemen’s doubles, first round
[7] John Peers (AUS)/Filip Polasek (SVK) d Mackenzie McDonald (USA)/Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-2
Ladies’ doubles, first round
Storm Sanders (AUS)/Belinda Bencic (SUI) d Dalma Galfi (HUN)/Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-2 6-7(7) 7-6(16)
Gentlemen’s doubles, second round
[3] Wesley Koolhof (NED)/Neal Skupski (GBR) d John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Pedro Martinez (ESP) 7-6(6) 6-2 7-6(4)
Ladies’ doubles, second round
[10] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d [Alt] Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)/Viktoriya Tomova (BUL) 6-4 6-4
Mixed doubles, first round
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Matwe Middelkoop (NED) d Yang Zhaoxuan (CHN)/Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) 6-2 7-5
[8] Andreja Klepac (SLO)/Filip Polasek (SVK) d Storm Sanders (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) 7-6(2) 4-6 6-3
COMING UP
Gentlemen’s doubles, second round
[7] John Peers (AUS)/Filip Polasek (SVK) v Jordan Thompson (AUS)/Joao Sousa (POR)
[14] Matthew Ebden (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) v…
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