Astana, Kazakhstan, 2 October 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Astana, Kazakhstan

John Peers has charged into the doubles final at an ATP 250 tournament in Astana alongside Croatian partner Mate Pavic.

The fourth-seeded pair, who are teaming up for the first time this week, are yet to drop a set. They continued their impressive march with a 6-2 6-1 victory against Dutch duo Robin Haase and Botic van de Zandschulp in the semifinals.

Peers and Pavic lost only nine points on serve in the swift 46-minute encounter, propelling them into a final showdown against second-seeded Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.

The 35-year-old Peers is now one win away from claiming a 28th career ATP doubles title and his second of the season.

AUSSIES IN ACTION – Astana

RESULTS
Men’s doubles, semifinals
[4] John Peers (AUS)/Mate Pavic (CRO) d Robin Haase (NED)/Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 6-2 6-1

COMING UP
Men’s doubles, final
[4] John Peers (AUS)/Mate Pavic (CRO) v [2] Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA)

Beijing, China

Ellen Perez and American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez blitzed through their opening-round doubles match at the China Open.

They needed only 52 minutes to beat Georgia’s Oksana Kalashnikova and Czech Miriam Kolodziejova at the WTA 1000 tournament.

Perez and Melichar-Martinez’s dominant 6-2 6-2 victory sets up a second-round showdown with the No.3 seeds, Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.

Daria Saville’s singles campaign ended in the second round, with Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina scoring a 6-2 7-6(5) victory.

AUSSIES IN ACTION – Beijing

RESULTS
Women’s singles, second round
Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) d Daria Saville (AUS) 6-2 7-6(5)

Women’s doubles, first round
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO)/Miriam Kolodziejova (CZE) 6-1 6-2

COMING UP
Women’s doubles, second round
[1] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Elise Mertens (BEL) v Chan Hao-Ching (TPE)/Giuliana Olmos (MEX)
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v [3] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE)

Shanghai, China

Eight Australians have advanced to the final qualifying round at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai.

It was a milestone victory for several Aussie contenders, with Li Tu, Dane Sweeny, James McCabe and Philip Sekulic all scoring their career-first wins at this level.

In-form Marc Polmans scored his first win at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in three years, while the resurgent Luke Saville recorded his first singles victory at this level in eight years.

Qualifying contenders need to win two matches to earn a main-draw berth at the Shanghai Masters.

AUSSIES IN ACTION – Shanghai

RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, first round
[1] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) d Marek Gengel (CZE) 6-3 6-2
[3] James Duckworth (AUS) d Mikalai Haliak 6-4 6-3
[4] Marc Polmans (AUS) d Alibek Kachmazov 3-6 6-3 7-6(3)
[13] Li Tu (AUS) d Colin Sinclair (MNP) 4-6 6-4 6-3
[19] Dane Sweeny (AUS) d [WC] Li Hanwen (CHN) 7-6(2) 6-2
[21] James McCabe (AUS) d [WC] Xiao Linang (CHN) 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3
Luke Saville (AUS) d [8] Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-3 6-2
Philip Sekulic (AUS) d [17] Kaichi Uchida (JPN) 6-3 7-6(5)
[18] Stefano Napolitano (ITA) d Omar Jasika (AUS) 6-1 7-5
Sun Fajing (CHN) d [24] Alex Bolt (AUS) 7-6(3) 6-3

COMING UP
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
[1] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Benjamin Lock (ZIM)
[3] James Duckworth (AUS) v [21] James McCabe (AUS)
[4] Marc Polmans (AUS) v [18] Stefano Napolitano (ITA)
[13] Li Tu (AUS) v [2] Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)
[19] Dane Sweeny (AUS) v [12] Seongchan Hong (KOR)
Luke Saville (AUS) v [16] Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ)
Philip Sekulic (AUS) v Arthur Weber (FRA)

Men’s singles, first round
[11] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Bye
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Qualifier
Chris O’Connell (AUS) v Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Matteo Arnaldi (ITA)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [WC] Fabio Fognini (ITA)
Max Purcell (AUS) v Qualifier

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