Marc Polmans was among five Australians to record wins during day two of the Roland Garros 2023 qualifying competition.
Paris, France, 23 May 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Six Australian players have advanced to the second round in the Roland Garros 2023 qualifying competition.
Marc Polmans, Aleksandar Vukic, Olivia Gadecki, Jaimee Fourlis and Storm Hunter all scored first-round wins on day two of qualifying in Paris, joining day-one victor Arina Rodionova in moving one step closer to a coveted main-draw berth.
This is only the third time in the past 25 years that six Australians have progressed to this stage of the qualifying competition in Paris.
World No.194 Polmans fired 40 winners in a 7-5 7-5 victory against local wildcard Harold Mayot. This improves the 26-year-old’s season record on clay to 14 wins from 17 matches.
Vukic, contesting his first match as a top 100-ranked player, was tested by Belgium’s Raphael Collignon. The world No.95 eventually grinded out a 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory. It is 27-year-old Vukic’s 15th win from his past 18 matches.
> READ: Aleksandar Vukic makes top-100 debut
World No.153 Gadecki powered past Latvian Darja Semenistaja, striking 33 winners to two in their 59-minute encounter. The 21-year-old conceded just two games, notching her career-first win in Paris with a dominant 6-0 6-2 scoreline.
Hunter was equally as impressive in a 6-4 6-2 victory against world No.125 Viktorjia Golubic. The 28-year-old Australian tallied 30 winners against the former Wimbledon quarterfinalist.
Fourlis was forced to work harder to secure her place in the second round, needing two hours and 38 minutes to overcome former world No.1 junior Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva. The world No.150 triumphed 6-4 4-6 6-3 to match her career-best result in a Roland Garros qualifying draw.
The news wasn’t all positive, with Australian hopes James Duckworth, Alex Bolt and Priscilla Hon bowing out in the opening round.
The qualifying competition continues in Paris this evening, with second-round action hitting off from 6pm AEST.
> VIEW: Roland Garros 2023 qualifying, day three schedule
Aussies in action – Roland Garros
RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, first round
[18] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) d Raphael Collignon (BEL) 6-4 4-6 6-4
Marc Polmans (AUS) d [WC] Harold Mayot (FRA) 7-5 7-5
Riccardo Bonadio (ITA) d [5] James Duckworth (AUS) 6-4 7-6(2)
Oleksii Krutykh (UKR) d Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-3 6-7(2) 6-4
Women’s qualifying singles, first…
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