Wimbledon qualifying quests continue for 12 Aussies
With coveted main draw places at Wimbledon 2021 up for grabs, our Australians have lots to play for on day three of the singles qualifying competitions.
London, UK, 23 June 2021 | Leigh Rogers
It is a big day ahead for our Australian players competing in the Wimbledon 2021 singles qualifying competitions, with 12 scheduled to take to the court in Roehampton …
Lizette Cabrera (AUS) v [WC] Katie Swan (GBR)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, first round, Court 11, first match (from 8pm AEST)
Cabrera begins her Wimbledon qualifying campaign in good form. The 23-year-old from Queensland, who scored her first WTA main draw win in more than a year earlier this month and then pushed eventual champion Alison Van Uytvanck to three sets in Nottingham last week, plays No.290-ranked British wildcard Katie Swan in the opening round. This is world No.146 Cabrera’s third Wimbledon qualifying appearance.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
Arina Rodionova (AUS) v Giulia Gatto-Monticone (ITA)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, first round, Court 13, first match (from 8pm AEST)
Rodionova’s tricky all-court game makes her a threat on grass, as she demonstrated to reach the biggest singles final of her career in Nottingham last week. Boasting a 9-3 career win-loss record in Wimbledon qualifying, can she score win number 10 in first-round action today? The world No.149, who is attempting to qualify at Wimbledon for a third time, faces Italian Giulia Gatto-Monticone, a 33-year-old ranked No.174.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
> READ: Seven Australians advance in Wimbledon qualifying
Destanee Aiava (AUS) v Elitsa Kostova (BUL)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, first round, Court 17, first match (from 8pm AEST)
The 21-year-old Aiava begins her third Wimbledon qualifying campaign against Kustova, a No.259-ranked Bulgarian who is 10 years her senior. World No.245 Aiava is a powerful ball-striker with an impressive grass-court record, a highlight being a top-10 win against Aryna Sabalenka in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2019. Aiava’s best Wimbledon qualifying result to date was reaching the final round on debut in 2017.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
Ellen Perez (AUS) v Leonie Kung (SUI)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, first round, Court 13, second match
After reaching her third WTA-level doubles final of the season last week, Perez returns to singles action with brimming confidence. The 25-year-old, who has a singles ranking of No.231, is making her second appearance in Wimbledon qualifying. The left-handed Perez faces Kung, a 20-year-old ranked No.159. Kung, a Wimbledon girls’ singles finalist in 2018, enters this match-up with only two wins from her past 13 matches.
Head-to-head record: Perez leads 1-0
Last meeting: Perez won 6-3 7-5 (Saint-Gervais, July 2016)
> READ: Four Australian men into second round at Eastbourne
Bernard Tomic (AUS) v [10] Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)
Gentlemen’s qualifying singles, second round, Court 16, second match
Tomic extended his career record in Wimbledon qualifying matches to 11 wins from 13 matches with his first-round victory. The world No.224, who has been ranked as high as No.17, is now aiming to reach the final qualifying round for a fifth time. Standing in the 28-year-old’s way is world No.125 Zapata Miralles, a 24-year-old Spaniard who is competing at Wimbledon for the first time.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
Matthew Ebden (AUS) v [WC] Arthur Fery (GBR)
Gentlemen’s qualifying singles, second round, Court 2, third match
The 33-year-old Ebden, a former world No.39, has a clear edge in experience in this match-up against 18-year-old British wildcard Fery. Ebden, who is currrently ranked No.238, can also take confidence from a straight-sets win against the world No.1038-ranked Fery on grass two weeks ago. Ebden is aiming to qualify and earn a seventh main draw appearance at Wimbledon.
Head-to-head record: Ebden leads 1-0
Last meeting: Ebden won 6-3 6-4 (Nottingham, June 2021)
> VIEW: Wimbledon 2021 ladies’ singles qualifying draw
Storm Sanders (AUS) v [3] Sara Errani (ITA)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, first round, Court 11, third match
After qualifying at Roland Garros last month, Sanders’ confidence is high. The left-handed 26-year-old, who makes her Wimbledon singles debut at a career-high world No.147, has a tough first-round assignment against world No.106 Errani. The 34-year-old Italian is a former Roland Garros finalist, who has been ranked as high as world No.5. Sanders has played Errani in doubles once – but that was nine years ago in her Australian Open debut.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
[32] Marc Polmans (AUS) v [WC] Felix Gill (GBR)
Gentlemen’s qualifying singles, second round, Court 14, third match
In his fourth Wimbledon qualifying appearance, 24-year-old Polmans is looking to advance to the final round for a first time. To do so, the world No.154-ranked Polmans, who made the final qualifying round at Roland Garros last month, needs to beat British wildcard Gill. The left-handed Gill, a 19-year-old ranked No.987, scored his first tour-level win yesterday to reach the second round.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
> VIEW: Wimbledon 2021 gentlemen’s singles qualifying draw
[16] Chris O’Connell (AUS) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
Gentlemen’s qualifying singles, second round, Court 18, third match
Contesting only his third tour-level event on grass, world No.131 O’Connell has made a winning start in his maiden Wimbledon campaign. After his hard-fought opening-round victory, the 27-year-old from Sydney now faces Bemelmans. The experienced Belgian player, a 33-year-old ranked No.217, thrives on grass and is attempting to qualify at Wimbledon for a seventh time.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
[28] Maddison Inglis (AUS) v Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove (NED)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, second round, Court 12, fourth match
The 23-year-old Inglis faced world No.175 Pattinama Kerkhove in her tour return earlier this month and lost in straight sets. That, however, was the first competitive match the No.140-ranked Inglis had played in more than three months. After a confidence-boosting first-round win yesterday, where the Western Australian lost only three games, she enters this rematch against the 29-year-old Dutchwoman with more momentum.
Head-to-head record: Pattinama Kerkhove leads 1-0
Last meeting: Pattinama Kerkhove won 6-1 6-4 (Nottingham, June 2021)
> VIEW: Full Wimbledon 2021 qualifying day three order of play
Priscilla Hon (AUS) v [26] Kamilla Rakhimova (RUS)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, second round, Court 15, fourth match
Hon has matched her career-best result at Wimbledon, reaching the second round in qualifying for a third time. Can the world No.176 go even further this year? The 23-year-old Hon, who is contesting her fifth tournament in a return from a hip injury that sidelined her for a year, faces rising Russian Rakhimova. The 19-year-old Rakhimova, who is ranked No.135, is competing at Wimbledon for a first time.
Head-to-head record: First career meeting
[19] Astra Sharma (AUS) v Kristina Kucova (SVK)
Ladies’ qualifying singles, second round, Court 16, fifth match
World No.127 Sharma is the seeded player, but the 25-year-old Western Australian will enter this match wary of No.162-ranked Kucova. The 31-year-old Slovakian won their only previous meeting during an ITF Tour title-winning run in 2019. Kucova proved she is always a dangerous opponent too when she held match points against world No.1 Ash Barty in Miami earlier this year.
Head-to-head record: Kucova leads 1-0
Last meeting: Kucova won 6-2 3-6 6-3 (Dothan, April 2019)