Aussie weekly wrap: Ebden achieves 22-year first in Australian tennis
Matt Ebden is the first Australian to advance to four ATP Masters 1000 doubles finals in a season since Todd Woodbridge in 2001.
Paris, France, 6 November 2023 | Leigh Rogers
It has been a history-making week in Australian tennis.
Storm Hunter sealed her progression to world No.1 in doubles with a strong performance at the WTA Finals in Mexico and will become the first Australian woman to hold the coveted top ranking in 16 years.
Ellen Perez also had a week to remember at the WTA Finals in Cancun, advancing to the biggest final of her career.
Matt Ebden created history of his own at the Paris Masters, becoming the first Australian to advance to four ATP Masters 1000 doubles finals in a season since Todd Woodbridge in 2001.
Heath Davidson was a doubles finalist at the season-ending ITF Wheelchair Doubles Masters in Spain, while the resurgent Arina Rodionova and Destanee Aiava both scooped singles titles at ITF events.
This week’s most outstanding performers include:
Ellen Perez: The 28-year-old progressed to the biggest doubles final of her career at the WTA Finals in Cancun (Mexico). Perez and American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez play for the title tomorrow.
Storm Hunter: The 29-year-old advanced to the doubles semifinals at the WTA Finals in Cancun alongside Belgian partner Elise Mertens. This effort will see Hunter finish the season as the year-end No.1 in doubles.
> READ: Hunter to finish season as year-end No.1
Heath Davidson: The 36-year-old was a doubles finalist at the ITF Wheelchair Doubles Masters in Spain alongside Canada’s Robert Shaw. It was Davidson’s 13th final of the season.
Matt Ebden: The 35-year-old advanced to the doubles final at an ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris (France) with India’s Rohan Bopanna. It was their seventh final of the season and a tour-leading fourth at ATP Masters 1000 level.
Alex de Minaur: After saving a match point against former world No.1 Andy Murray in the opening round, the 24-year-old advanced to the singles quarterfinals at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.
John-Patrick Smith: The 34-year-old teamed with Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands to win the doubles title at an ATP Challenger event in Charlottesville (USA). This is Smith’s 36th career title and snaps a seven-match losing streak in finals.
Marc Polmans: The 26-year-old was a singles finalist at the ATP Challenger event in Sydney. This was Polmans’ fourth singles final of the season.
Destanee Aiava: The 23-year-old won the biggest singles title of her career, scooping the ITF 60 crown in Sydney. It was Aiava’s third title of the year.
> READ: Aiava dominates Australian Pro Tour event in Sydney
Astra Sharma: The 28-year-old extended her singles winning run to nine matches before finishing runner-up to Destanee Aiava at the ITF 60 tournament in Sydney.
Destanee Aiava and Maddison Inglis: The Aussie duo claimed the doubles title at the ITF 60 tournament in Sydney. This is 23-year-old Aiava’s seventh and biggest doubles title of the season and 25-year-old Inglis’ third.
Rinky Hijikata: The 22-year-old was a singles semifinalist at the ATP Challenger in Sydney, where he was edged out in a third-set tiebreak against Japan’s Taro Daniel.
Thanasi Kokkinakis: The 27-year-old advanced to the singles semifinals at the ATP Challenger in Sydney, before a right ankle injury derailed his campaign.
Maya Joint: The 17-year-old, who is ranked inside the world’s top 30 in juniors, advanced to her first professional singles semifinal at the ITF 60 event in Sydney.
Arina Rodionova: The 33-year-old won the singles title at an ITF 25 tournament in Edmonton (Canada). This is Rodionova’s 14th career title and her fifth this season.
Derek Pham: The 19-year-old was a singles finalist at the ITF 15 tournament in Fayetteville (USA). This was Pham’s second ITF finals appearance and first since December 2022.
Cruz Hewitt: The 14-year-old won the boys’ singles title at an ITF J60 tournament in Nonthaburi (Thailand). It is Hewitt’s third ITF junior singles title of the season.
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