Adelaide, South Australia , 4 January 2022 | Darren Parkin

Two Australian qualifiers have gone down at the Adelaide International today, but both leave the city having made strong progress towards the Australian Open.

Comeback queen Daria Saville fought hard against world No.8 and former Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek, in what was a highly competitive performance.

The Australian challenged frequently throughout and broke back from a deficit in both sets, but ultimately it was serving that proved the difference. Saville produced nine double faults compared to an extraordinary zero from the rock solid Swiatek.

The Polish star eventually prevailed 6-3 6-3 in an hour and 19 minutes.

Saville has already been granted a wildcard into Australian Open 2022 and has won three of her four matches on tour since returning from injury in November.

A match-up you don’t want to miss! @CocoGauff takes on world No.1 @ashbarty on Wednesday 👀☝️#AdelaideTennis pic.twitter.com/J2m93t59Ty

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 4, 2022

Fellow Australian Open wildcard Maddison Inglis also exited in the first round at The Drive, with world No.40 American Shelby Rogers claiming a straight-sets victory.

Rogers dominated the opening set, taking it 6-1 in 26 minutes with three breaks of serve.

The American lost only three points on her own serve for the entire opening set.

Inglis fought back in the second, breaking serve herself early and putting constant pressure on her more experienced opponent.

Rogers continued a terrific 18 month stretch in which she’s achieved a career-high ranking, with the 29-year-old pulling away again late in the second set to claim a 6-1 6-3 victory.

Inglis enjoyed a good run through qualifying at Adelaide and will be very much looking forward to her third main draw Australian Open campaign.

South Australia’s Alex Bolt also exited his home tournament, falling to 6-2 6-4 to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo.

Bolt, who turns 29 tomorrow, fought hard in the second set after falling behind a break. The lefthander three break points of his own at 3-4 but couldn’t quite close it out with Cerundolo holding firm.

Meanwhile, Ajla Tomljanovic’s second round match up in the city of churches has been locked in after America’s Sofia Kenin downed Italian Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets.

The two players met twice in the space of a week in 2017, with wins shared at one apiece.

Tonight, Thanasi Kokkinakis and John Millman face off in a highly anticipated all-Australian first round.

TODAY’S RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
[5] Iga Swiatek (POL) d [Q] Daria Saville (AUS) 6-3 6-3
Shelby Rogers (USA) [Q] Maddison Inglis (AUS) 6-1 6-3

Women’s doubles, first round
Ash Barty (AUS)/Storm Sanders (AUS) d [4] Coco Gauff (USA)/Caty McNally (USA) 6-0 7-6(4)

Men’s singles, first round
Juan Manuel Cerendolo (ARG) d [WC] Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-2 6-4

Men’s doubles, first round
[WC] Aleksander Vukic (AUS)/Edward Winter (AUS) d Adam Taylor (AUS)/Jason Taylor (AUS) 7-6(5) 6-4

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
John Millman (AUS) v [WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)

> VIEW: Full men’s singles draw

Women’s singles, second round
[1] Ash Barty (AUS) v Coco Gauff (USA)
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [6] Sofia Kenin (USA)
[WC] Priscilla Hon (AUS) v TBC

> VIEW: Full women’s singles draw

Women’s doubles, first round
[WC] Priscilla Hon (AUS)/Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz (AUS) v Shelby Rogers (USA)/Heather Watson (GBR)

Women’s doubles, first round
[WC]Ash Barty (AUS)/Storm Sanders (AUS) v TBC

Men’s doubles, second round
[5] Matthew Ebden (AUS)/John-Patrick Smith (AUS) v Marton Fucsovics (HUN)/Tommy Paul (USA)
[WC] Aleksander Vukic (AUS)/Edward Winter (AUS) v [7] Harri Heliovaara (FIN)/Lloyd Grasspool (GBR)