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Australian players are shining brightly on the world stage, with Ellen Perez and Alex de Minaur among nine Aussies to scoop a title this week.
Australia, 4 March 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Ellen Perez and Alex de Minaur were among an incredible 15 Australian players to feature in finals this week.
Perez claimed the biggest doubles title of her career at a WTA 500 event in America, while De Minaur defended his title at an ATP tournament in Mexico.
It continues an impressive start to the season for De Minaur, who becomes the first Australian man in 49 years to record seven top-20 wins in the opening two months of a season.
Some of the rising stars of Australian tennis also scored major career milestones this week. The 21-year-old Olivia Gadecki claimed her first WTA doubles title and 18-year-old Taylah Preston notched her first top-50 victory in singles.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Alex de Minaur: The 25-year-old successfully defended his ATP 500 singles title in Acapulco (Mexico). De Minaur scored two top-20 wins (beating world No.12 Stefanos Tsitsipas and world No.11 Casper Ruud) during his impressive run.
Ellen Perez: The 28-year-old combined with American Nicole Melichar-Martinez to win the biggest doubles of her career, claiming the WTA 500 title in San Diego (USA). This is Perez’s sixth WTA title and snaps an eight-match losing streak in finals.
Olivia Gadecki: The 21-year-old won her first WTA doubles title. Gadecki did not drop a set in an impressive run alongside British partner Olivia Nicholls at a WTA 250 tournament in Austin (USA).
John Peers: The 35-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco with Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara. This was Peers’ best tour-level result since September 2023.
Daria Saville: The 29-year-old made the singles quarterfinals at a WTA 500 tournament in San Diego (USA). Saville qualified then saved a match point in a steely comeback to beat world No.47 Tatjana Maria in the second round. This was Saville’s best tour-level result in almost two years.
Taylah Preston: The 18-year-old scored a breakthrough first main-draw win at tour level, upsetting world No.42 Magdalena Frech in the opening round at the WTA 500 tournament in San Diego. This was Preston’s first top-50 victory.
Maya Joint: The 17-year-old recorded a milestone first tour-level main-draw win to make the doubles quarterfinals, alongside Ukrainian Sabina Zeynalova, at the WTA 250 tournament in Austin.
Matthew Romios: The 24-year-old teamed with Poland’s Piotr Matuszewski to win an ATP Challenger doubles title in New Delhi (India). This is Romios’ 12th career doubles title and his third at ATP Challenger title.
Calum Puttergill: The 30-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at the ATP Challenger in New Delhi alongside Chinese Taipei’s Ho Ray. It was Puttergill’s third semifinal appearance of the season at ATP Challenger level.
Thomas Fancutt: The 29-year-old progressed to the doubles semifinals with American Hunter Reese at an ATP Challenger in Kigali (Rwanda). This improves Fancutt’s season record to 13 wins from his 20 doubles matches.
Priscilla Hon: The 25-year-old was a singles semifinalist at the ITF 35 tournament in Traralgon (Australia). It continues an impressive start to the season for Hon, who was recorded 14 wins from her 19 matches.
Petra Hule: The 24-year-old advanced to the singles semifinals at the ITF 35 tournament in Traralgon. It was Hule’s fourth career appearance in an ITF singles semifinal and her best result in 11 months.
Destanee Aiava and Tenika McGiffin: The Aussie duo were doubles finalists at the ITF 35 tournament in Traralgon. This was 25-year-old McGiffin’s first appearance in an ITF doubles final.
Li Tu: The 27-year-old swept through the men’s singles draw at an ITF 25 tournament in Traralgon without dropping a set. Tu earned his 10th career singles title and first since April 2023.
> READ: Tu crowned champion at Australian Pro Tour in Traralgon
Alex Bolt: The 31-year-old recorded a runner-up finish in singles at the ITF 25 tournament in Traralgon. This was Bolt’s second final appearance of the season and improves his record this year to 16 wins from 21 matches.
Luke Saville: The 30-year-old was a singles semifinalist at the ITF 25 tournament in Traralgon. This was Saville’s deepest singles run since August 2023.
Joshua Charlton and Blake Ellis: The Aussie pair scooped the doubles crown at the ITF 25 tournament in Traralgon. This is 24-year-old Charlton’s first professional doubles title and 25-year-old Ellis’ 10th.
Jesse Delaney: The 25-year-old recorded a runner-up finish in doubles alongside New Zealand’s Ajeet Rai in the ITF 25 tournament in Traralgon. This was Delaney’s second appearance in an ITF doubles final.
Matthew Dellavedova: The 23-year-old recorded his best result of the season, advancing to the singles semifinals at an ITF 25 tournament in Faro (Portugal).
Heath Davidson: The 36-year-old won his first doubles title of the season alongside Canadian Robert Shaw at an ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour event in Georgia (USA). Davidson was also a singles semifinalist.
Anderson Parker: The 26-year-old was a men’s singles finalist at an ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour event in Selangor (Malaysia). Parker also finished runner-up in the doubles competition alongside Japan’s
Hayley Slocombe: The 22-year-old progressed to the women’s singles semifinals at the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour event in Selangor.
Hayden Jones: The 17-year-old won the boys’ singles title at an ITF J200 tournament in Nonthaburi (Thailand). This is Jones’ fourth ITF junior singles title and improves his season record at junior level to 11 wins from 13 matches.
Alana Subasic: The 16-year-old was a girls’ singles finalist at the ITF J200 tournament in Nonthaburi (Thailand). This improves Subasic’s 2024 record on the ITF junior tour to 17 wins from her 21 matches.
Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!
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