Aussie pair Storm Hunter and John Peers have advanced to the second round in the mixed doubles competition in Paris.
Paris, France, 3 June 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Storm Hunter is proving hard to beat at Roland Garros.
The 28-year-old Australian recorded two wins on day seven in Paris, advancing in both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles competitions.
This takes her count of matches won at this year’s tournament, across both singles and doubles, to seven wins from eight matches.
Hunter and Belgian partner Elise Mertens survived a slow start to record a 7-6(4) 6-1 victory against Brazil’s Ingrid Martins and Iryna Shymanovich of Belarus in women’s doubles action.
The third seeds trailed 3-5 in the opening set of their second-round match and managed to save three set points before clinching it in a tiebreak.
This is world No.5 Hunter’s career-best women’s doubles result at Roland Garros, bettering second-round appearances in 2021 and 2022.
Hunter then teamed up with fellow Aussie John Peers to score a first-round mixed doubles victory.
The reigning US Open champions convincingly dismissed French wildcards Leolia Jeanjean and Jonathan Eysseric, winning 6-3 6-2.
Hunter and Peers hit 27 winners in the 52-minute encounter.
The 34-year-old Peers is still in contention in the men’s doubles competition too, having made the third round alongside Brazil’s Marcelo Melo. It is the world No.37’s best result in Paris in four years.
World No.15 Ellen Perez is enjoying a career-best run of her own at Roland Garros, after reaching the third round in the women’s doubles with American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
The sixth-seeded duo triumphed 6-1 4-6 6-3 against American combination Alycia Parks and Peyton Stearns.
> READ: Ellen Perez relishing a Roland Garros return
The news wasn’t so good for world No.18 Matt Ebden, who was knocked out of the mixed doubles competition in the second round.
Aussies in action – Roland Garros
RESULTS
Women’s doubles, second round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Elise Mertens (BEL) d Ingrid Martins (BRA)/Iryna Shymanovich 7-6(4) 6-1
[6] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d Alycia Parks (USA)/Peyton Stearns (USA) 6-1 4-6 6-3
Mixed doubles, first round
Storm Hunter (AUS)/John Peers (AUS) d [WC] Leolia Jeanjean/Jonathan Eysseric (FRA) 6-3 6-2
Mixed doubles, second round
Asia Muhammad (USA)/Lloyd Glasspool (GBR) d [5] Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR)/Matt Ebden (AUS) 7-5 6-3
COMING…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Tennis.com.au – Tennis Australia…