Australian players shining brightly on the world stage
Jordan Thompson advanced to his first ATP singles final in four years, while 15-year-old Daniel Jovanovski claimed his first ITF junior titles this week.
's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 18 June 2023 | Leigh Rogers
It has been a milestone week for many Australian players. From first titles to career-best runs, there has been lots to celebrate.
Jordan Thompson was a standout performer, reaching his second career ATP singles final at a grass-court event in the Netherlands.
Omar Jasika and Petra Hule claimed ITF titles. Meanwhile at junior level, reigning Australian 14-and-under champion Daniel Jovanovski claimed his maiden titles (in both singles and doubles) on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
The Australian team also returned home from the Virtus Global Games in France with nine medals, including three golds.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Jordan Thompson: The 29-year-old was a finalist in the singles event at an ATP 250 tournament in s’-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands). This matched Thompson’s career-best result at tour-level and was his first ATP singles final appearance since 2019.
Rinky Hijikata: The 22-year-old advanced to his first ATP-level singles semifinal at ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Hijikata scored two top-100 wins after entering the main draw as a lucky loser. Hijikata also made the doubles quarterfinals alongside Jason Kubler.
> READ: Rinky Hijikata feeling at home on grass
Alex de Minaur: The world No.18 reached the singles quarterfinals and doubles semifinals (alongside fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson) at the ATP 250 tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. This was De Minaur’s fifth ATP singles quarterfinal of the season.
Chris O’Connell: The 29-year-old defeated two higher-ranked opponents to advance to his first ATP-level grass-court quarterfinal in Stuttgart. This was world No.74 O’Connell’s fifth ATP singles quarterfinal appearance of the season.
Matt Ebden: The 35-year-old made the doubles semifinals at an ATP 250 tournament in Stuttgart. It was world No.19 Ebden’s sixth semifinal appearance of the season alongside Indian partner Rohan Bopanna.
Kimberly Birrell: The 25-year-old scored her first WTA-level main-draw singles win on grass. Birrell made the second round at a WTA 250 tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where she tested world No.26 and eventual champion Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Olivia Gadecki: The 21-year-old qualified at a WTA tournament for the second time in her career, beating fellow Aussies Lizette Cabrera and Arina Rodionova to earn a main-draw spot at a WTA 250 tournament in Nottingham.
Heath Davidson: The 36-year-old recorded a runners-up finish, with Canadian Robert Shaw, in the quad wheelchair doubles at the French Riviera Open in Biot (France). Davidson was also a singles quarterfinalist.
John-Patrick Smith: The 34-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at an ATP Challenger in Nottingham. Smith and American Robert Galloway have made back-to-back semifinal appearances in the past fortnight.
> READ: John-Patrick Smith – “I like to challenge myself”
Adam Walton: The 24-year-old, who currently sits at a career-high ranking of world No.254, made his third singles quarterfinal of the season at an ATP Challenger in Palmas del Mar (Puerto Rico).
Bernard Tomic: The 30-year-old won five matches to reach the singles quarterfinals at an ATP Challenger in Palmas del Mar (Puerto Rico) as a qualifier. This was world No.378 Tomic’s second quarterfinal at this level for the season.
Destanee Aiava: The 23-year-old was a doubles finalist at an ITF 60 tournament in Madrid (Spain). This was Aiava’s first finals appearance in an internationally hosted tournament in two years.
Astra Sharma: The 27-year-old made the singles quarterfinals and doubles semifinals at an ITF 60 tournament in Rome (Italy).
> READ: Astra Sharma – “If you put in the work, you’ll see some sort of a result”
Seone Mendez: The 24-year-old made the singles quarterfinals and doubles semifinals at an ITF 60 tournament in Ricany (Czech Republic).
Petra Hule: The 24-year-old teamed with Spain’s Georgina Garcia-Perez to win the doubles title at an ITF 25 tournament in Guimaraes (Portugal). It is Hule’s fourth career title and second this season.
Omar Jasika: The 26-year-old won the singles title at an ITF 15 tournament in Jakarta (Indonesia). It is Jasika’s ninth career ITF title and his first of the season.
Sara Nayar: The 21-year-old was a doubles finalist at an ITF 15 tournament in Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thailand). It was Nayar’s second doubles final appearance in as many weeks.
Nina Alibalic: The 24-year-old reached her second consecutive singles semifinal, advancing to the final four at an ITF 15 tournament in Kursumlijska Banja (Serbia) as a qualifier.
Jeremy Jin: The 18-year-old recorded the best singles result of his professional career to date, reaching the semifinals at an ITF 15 tournament in Tianjin (China).
> READ: Jeremy Jin – A rising star of Australian tennis
Daniel Jovanovski: The 15-year-old claimed his first ITF junior titles. Jovanovski scooped both the singles and doubles (with New Zealand’s Finn Burridge) crowns at an ITF J30 tournament in Noumea (New Caledonia).
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