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Aussie weekly wrap: Australians make promising start to clay-court season | 8 April, 2024 | All News | News and Features | News and Events

Aussie weekly wrap: Australians make promising start to clay-court season | 8 April, 2024 | All News | News and Features | News and Events

Aussie pair Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson clinched their third doubles title of the season at an ATP 250 tournament in Houston.

Houston, USA, 8 April 2024 | Leigh Rogers

The clay-court season is officially underway and our Australian players are thriving.

Five Aussie players featured in clay-court doubles finals this week, with two of them claiming titles.

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson led the way, successfully defending their crown at an ATP 250 event in America.

Many other players recorded career-best results or their best results in several years on the dirt surface.

This week’s most outstanding performers include:

Ellen Perez: The 28-year-old advanced to the doubles semifinals at a WTA 500 clay-court tournament in Charleston (USA) alongside American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez. The in-form duo have now made the semifinals or better in four of their past five events.

Astra Sharma: The 28-year-old scored her first top-50 win in almost three years, beating world No.39 Lesia Tsurenko during a third-round run at the WTA 500 tournament in Charleston. This was the first time a resurgent Sharma had recorded back-to-back WTA main-draw singles wins since May 2022.

Daria Saville: The 30-year-old scored three wins to advance to the second round as a qualifier at the WTA 500 tournament in Charleston. This included Saville’s seventh top-100 victory of the season.

Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell: The Aussie pair snatched their third ATP 250 doubles title of the season in Houston (USA). This is 29-year-old Thompson’s fifth career ATP doubles title and 26-year-old Purcell’s seventh.

> READ MORE: Thompson and Purcell defend Houston doubles title

John Peers: The 35-year-old advanced to his first ATP clay-court final in almost three years, recording a runner-up finish alongside American William Blumberg at the ATP 250 tournament in Houston. This was also Peers’ best result on tour since September 2023.

Jordan Thompson: The 29-year-old recorded his best result at an ATP clay-court tournament in five years, progressing to the quarterfinals at the ATP 250 tournament in Houston. The steely competitor saved three match points in his second-round win, the third time this season he has triumphed from this position.

Rinky Hijikata: The 23-year-old notched his first clay-court main-draw win at ATP level, knocking out world No.41 Christopher Eubanks in the opening round at the ATP 250 tournament in Houston. Hijikata also…

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