Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2022 | Leigh Rogers

Eight Australians have advanced to the second round in the Australian Open 2022 women’s doubles competition, the most to reach this stage in seven years.

Among them is wildcard pairing Kimberly Birrell and Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz, who scored a major career milestone at Melbourne Park today.

Birrell, a 23-year-old from Queensland, and Kempenaers-Pocz, a 17-year-old South Australian, combined to defeat the Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus and Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz 6-3 2-6 6-4.

It is a career-first Grand Slam doubles victory for each.

Monique Adamczak has also continued her impressive comeback, teaming with China’s Han Xinyun to record a first-round win today. They defeated American Madison Brengle and German Tatjana Maria 6-4 6-7(1) 6-3.

It is 38-year-old Adamczak’s first Grand Slam win in three years.

> READ: Monique Adamczak – “I honestly thought I’d never play again”

Adamczak and Han will now face top-seeded Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova in the second round.

The reigning Olympic champions and AO 2021 finalists scored a 6-0 6-2 first-round victory against Australian Arina Rodionova and her Dutch partner Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove today.

In mixed doubles action, newlyweds Luke and Daria Saville lost to fourth seeds Alexa Guarachi of Chile and Tim Puetz of Germany 7-6(5) 7-5.

Lizette Cabrera and Alex Bolt were also eliminated, losing a tight encounter to New Zealand pair Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus 6-7(5) 7-5 [13-11]. The Aussie wildcards earned a match point in the deciding tiebreak, but were unable to convert.

Australian Open 2022

TODAY’S RESULTS
Women’s doubles, first round
Monique Adamczak (AUS)/Han Xinyun (CHN) d Madison Brengle (USA)/Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-4 6-7(1) 6-3
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz (AUS) d Nuria Parrizas Diaz (ESP)/Aranxta Rus (NED) 6-3 2-6 6-4
[1] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) d Arina Rodionova (AUS)/Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove (NED) 6-0 6-2

Mixed doubles, first round
[4] Alexa Guarachi (CHI)/Tim Puetz (GER) d [WC] Daria Saville (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) 7-6(5) 7-5
Erin Routliffe (NZL)/Michael Venus (NZL) d [WC] Lizette Cabrera (AUS)/Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-7(5) 7-5 [13-11]

COMING UP
Women’s doubles, second round
[4] Sam Stosur (AUS)/Zhang Shuai (CHN) v Magda Linette (POL)/Bernarda Pera (USA)
[9] Storm Sanders (AUS)/Caroline Dolehide (USA) v Eri Hozumi (JPN)/Makoto Ninomiya (JPN)
Monique Adamczak (AUS)/Han Xinyun (CHN) v [1] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Greet Minnen (BEL) v [5] Alexa Guarachi (CHI)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)
[WC] Lizette Cabrera (AUS)/Priscilla Hon (AUS) v [2] Shuko Aoyama (JPN)/Ena Shibahara (JPN)
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz (AUS) v Rebecca Peterson (SWE)/Anastasia Potapova (RUS)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 women’s doubles draw

Mixed doubles, first round
[2] Zhang Shuai (CHN)/John Peers (AUS) v Andreja Klepac (SLO)/Joran Vliegen (BEL)
Storm Sanders (AUS)/Neal Skupski (GBR) v [8] Ena Shibahara (JPN)/Ben McLachlan (JPN)
[WC] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Matwe Middelkoop (NED) v [3] Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)/Robert Farah (COL)
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v [7] Nina Stojanovic (SRB)/Mate Pavic (CRO)
[WC] Sam Stosur (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) v Asia Muhammad (USA)/Fabrice Martin (FRA)
[WC] Astra Sharma (AUS)/John-Patrick Smith (AUS) v Lucie Hradecka (CZE)/Gonzalo Escobar (ECA)
[WC] Arina Rodionova (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS) v Camila Osorio (COL)/Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 mixed doubles draw

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