Hon and Thompson make it six through in Paris
Jordan Thompson and Priscilla Hon win on day three, as six Australians progress to the French Open second round.
Paris, France, 29 May 2019 | AAP / tennis.com.au
Priscilla Hon and Jordan Thompson made it six Australians through to the second round with victories at the French Open on Tuesday.
The pair join Ash Barty, Sam Stosur, Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin in round two, while five Aussies saw their singles hopes end on day three.
Wildcard Hon will join Stosur and Barty in the second round after a 3-6 6-2 6-1 comeback win over Timea Babos – her first in the Roland Garros main draw – which helped Australia equal its best French Open start since 1990.
The size of the country’s second-round contingent equals the six of 2015.
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“I was getting frustrated, I’ve been ranked around here (top 100) but at big tournaments I hadn’t been getting wins,” said Hon, who plays 14th seed Madison Keys next.
“She’s (Keys) one of the best so I’m excited to see what I can do against her.”
Thompson made the most of facing lucky loser Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Paris on a windswept day, after Canadian rising star Felix Auger-Aliassime had withdrawn because of injury.
Davidovich Fokina boasted the recent scalp of Gael Monfils but the Australian dominated in a 6-3 6-2 7-6(3) victory.
He will next play big-serving 40-year-old Karlovic, who beat Thompson in five sets at the same stage three years ago and on Tuesday became the oldest player to win at Roland Garros since 1973.
“Remarkable (to be performing at this age) … he’s serving out of a tree, unbelievable reach, volleys well,” Thompson said of Karlovic.
“I had a heartbreaker against him three years ago.
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“I’d just made the top 100, I was a wildcard, I was so disappointed because I thought I’d missed a massive opportunity, but life goes on.”
Thompson joins young Australian pair Popyrin and De Minaur in the last 64, both of whom will play their second-round matches on Wednesday.
John Millman almost joined them in round two as he launched a stirring fightback against fifth seed Alexander Zverev from two sets down, before the German edged the decider to win 7-6(4) 6-3 2-6 6-7(5) 6-3.
Only a dogged effort from defending champion Simona Halep stopped Ajla Tomljanovic from being one of seven Australians through, with the defending champion prevailing 6-2 3-6 6-1.
Daria Gavrilova, whose thigh was heavily strapped, was forced to retire while trailing in the second set 6-3 2-2 to Serbian Aleksandra Krunic, while Matt Ebden was felled by French wildcard Gregoire Barrerre in four sets.
Bernard Tomic went out 6-1 6-4 6-1 in 82 minutes to hand American Taylor Fritz his most dominant Grand Slam victory.
In the men’s doubles, John Peers and Finland’s Henri Kontinen made progress with a 6-4 6-4 win over Joao Sousa and Leonardo Mayer.
Aussie results – day 3
Men’s singles
Taylor Fritz (USA) d Bernard Tomic 6-1 6-4 6-1
[5] Alexander Zverev (GER) d John Millman 7-6(4) 6-3 2-6 6-7(5) 6-3
Jordan Thompson d [LL] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-3 6-2 7-6(3)
[WC] Gregoire Barrerre (FRA) d Matthew Ebden 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-1
Women’s singles
[WC] Priscilla Hon d [LL] Timea Babos (HUN) 3-6 6-2 6-1
Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) d Daria Gavrilova 6-3 2-2 ret.
[3] Simona Halep (ROU) d Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 3-6 6-1
Men’s doubles
[8] John Peers/Henri Kontinen (FIN) d Leonardo Mayer (ARG)/Joao Sousa (POR) 6-4 6-4
Aussies in action – day 4
Men’s singles
[21] Alex de Minaur v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP), Court 7, fourth match
Alexei Popyrin v [31] Laslo Djere (SRB), Court 12, second match
Women’s doubles
Ajla Tomljanovic/Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) v Ashleigh Barty/Victoria Azarenka (BLR), Court 9, third match
Daria Gavrilova/Maria Sakkari (GRE) v Monica Puig (PUR)/Shelby Rogers (USA), Court 11, fourth match
Storm Sanders/Miyu Kato (JPN) v [9] Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER)/Demi Schuurs (NED), Court 12, fourth match
Men’s doubles
Matthew Ebden/John-Patrick Smith v [3] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)/Robert Farah (COL), Court 9, fourth round
John Millman/Jordan Thompson v [WC] Enzo Couacaud (FRA)/Tristan Lamasine (FRA), Court 10, third round
Mixed doubles
[5] John Peers/Shuai Zhang (CHN) v [WC] Gregoire Barrere (FRA)/Margot Yerolymos (FRA), Court 10, fourth match