Max Purcell was one of seven Australian players to record first-round victories today in the Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles competition.
Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2023 | Leigh Rogers
From elation to heartbreak, Aussie players experienced a full spectrum of emotions today in the Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles competition.
Maddison Inglis and Jason Kubler were thrilled – and relieved – after saving two match points in their first-round victory.
The Aussie wildcards scored a hard-fought 7-6(8) 1-6 [11-9] victory against world No.32 Alicja Rosolska and world No.6 Jean-Julien Rojer. Inglis and Kubler recovered from a 7-9 deficit in the deciding match tiebreak.
“I thought we were in a little bit of trouble there, but anything can happen in a match tiebreak, so you’ve just got to hang in there and try for literally every point,” beamed 25-year-old Inglis after claiming her career-first Grand Slam mixed doubles win.
“It was really exciting. I’m so happy we get to play again.”
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Kimberly Birrell and Rinky Hijikata combined to record their first Grand Slam mixed doubles win as well, eliminating world No.9 Lyudmyla Kichenok and world No.44 Gonzalo Escobar in straight sets.
Lizette Cabrera is also celebrating a major milestone. The 24-year-old teamed with fellow Townsville talent John-Patrick Smith to notch her first win in a Grand Slam mixed doubles draw too.
There was heart-break though for reigning US Open champions Storm Hunter and John Peers, who lost in the opening round.
Hunter and Peers had three match points during a tense second-set tiebreak, but were unable to convert. Two-time Wimbledon champions Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski took advantage and eventually closed out a 6-7(3) 7-6(12) [10-8] victory.
Eighth-seeded Max Purcell and his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski had no worries, posting a comfortable 6-2 7-5 win against world No.10 Yang Zhaoxuan and world No.36 Jan Zielinski.
AUSSIES IN ACTION – Australian Open
TODAY’S RESULTS
Mixed doubles, first round
[8] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)/Max Purcell (AUS) d Yang Zhaoxuan (CHN)/Jan Zielinski (POL) 6-2 7-5
[WC] Maddison Inglis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) d [7] Alicja Rosolska (POL)/Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) 7-6(8) 1-6 [11-9]
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Rinky Hijikata (AUS) d Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR)/Gonzalo Escobar (ECU) 6-1 7-6(5)
[WC] Lizette Cabrera (AUS)/John-Patrick…
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