Newport, USA , 18 July 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Newport, USA

Li Tu has scored a memorable victory against fellow Australian Aleksandar Vukic at an ATP 250 tournament in Newport.

Tu, a qualifier ranked No.252, triumphed 6-3 7-6(6) against world No.83 Vukic in their opening-round clash at the grass-court tournament.

This is 27-year-old Tu’s maiden ATP-level main-draw victory and also the first top-100 win of his career.

James Duckworth also produced an impressive performance, scoring his first tour-level main-draw win of the season.

The 31-year-old Australian won a two-hour and 31-minute battle against world No.86 Constant Lestienne. Duckworth served 14 aces in his 5-7 6-4 7-5 victory against the Frenchman.

This is world No.129 Duckworth’s second top-100 victory of the season and first since January.

However, the news wasn’t all good for Australian contenders. Max Purcell, the tournament’s sixth seed, lost his opening-round match, as did qualifier Alex Bolt.

Bolt, who qualified for an ATP-level event for the first time since September 2021, extended big-serving American veteran John Isner to three sets in their opening-round clash.

In doubles action, Jordan Thompson boosted the number of Australians through to the quarterfinals to three.

Thompson and French partner Adrian Mannarino carved out a 6-2 6-4 victory against French duo Luca Sanchez and Theo Arribage.

Aussies in action – Newport

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[Q] Li Tu (AUS) d Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 6-3 7-6(6)
James Duckworth (AUS) d Constant Lestienne (FRA) 5-7 6-4 7-5
Gijs Brouwer (NED) d [6] Max Purcell (AUS) 6-4 6-1
John Isner (USA) d [Q] Alex Bolt (AUS) 6-4 2-6 6-3

Men’s doubles, first round
Jordan Thompson (AUS)/Adrian Mannarino (FRA) d Luca Sanchez (FRA)/Theo Arribage (FRA) 6-2 6-4
Andre Goransson (SWE)/Ben McLachlan (JPN) d Andrew Harris (AUS)/Evan King (USA) 7-6(6) 6-7(4) [10-5]

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
[7] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Liam Broady (GBR)
Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v [2] Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
James Duckworth (AUS) v Alex Michelsen (USA)
[Q] Li Tu (AUS) v [4] Mackenzie McDonald (USA)

Men’s doubles, first round
[2] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Reese Stalder (USA) v Chung Yunseong (KOR)/Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Robert Galloway (USA) v [3] Yuki Bhambri (IND)/Saketh Myneni (IND)
Max Purcell (AUS)/William Blumberg (USA) v TBC
Jordan Thompson (AUS)/Adrian Mannarino (FRA) v TBC

Budapest, Hungary

Australian hopes Storm Hunter and Daria Saville have lost their first-round singles matches at a WTA 250 tournament in Budapest.

Hunter and Saville both won the opening set in their respective matches, before bowing out in three sets.

This leaves the resurgent Astra Sharma as the last remaining Australian in the singles draw at the clay-court tournament.

Saville now turns her attention to doubles, where she has progressed to the quarterfinals alongside compatriot Ellen Perez.

Aussies in action – Budapest

RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
[9] Nadia Podoroska (ARG) d Storm Hunter (AUS) 1-6 6-1 6-1
[LL] Maria Timofeeva d Daria Saville (AUS) 2-6 6-3 6-4

COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
[Q] Astra Sharma (AUS) v [Q] Kaja Juvan (SLO)

Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Daria Saville (AUS) v Kateryna Volodko (UKR)/Renata Voracova (CZE)

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