Adelaide, Australia, 7 January 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Australian contenders have made a sensational start in the Adelaide International men’s qualifying singles competition.

Three Aussies – Alex Bolt, Matthew Dellavedova and Adam Walton – scored top-100 wins in their opening-round matches today at The Drive.

The 31-year-old Bolt, who is currently ranked No.328 and snuck into the draw as an alternate, lost only four points on serve in a stunning 6-1 6-1 demolition of world No.78 Tomas Machac.

This is Bolt’s 17th career top-100 win – but first since September 2021.

The South Australian competitor will now play world No.456 Dellavedova in the final qualifying round at the ATP 250 tournament.

Dellavedova, a 23-year-old wildcard contesting his first ATP-level event, recorded his maiden top-100 victory with a 6-3 0-6 6-4 upset of world No.83 Juan Pablo Varillas.

The highest-ranked opponent that Dellavedova had previously beaten was the world No.223 (at last week’s ATP Challenger event in Canberra).

World No.169 Walton notched his career-first top-100 win too, defeating world No.70 Pedro Cachin 7-5 7-6(2) in their first-round clash.

This propels the 24-year-old Walton, who served five aces in the one-hour and 53-minute encounter, into a final round showdown with world No.80 Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

James McCabe, a promising 20-year-old Australian, is also through to the final qualifying round.

The world No.272, who was announced as an Australian Open wildcard recipient this week, posted a 6-1 6-4 victory against Mikalai Haliak.

> BUY NOW: Adelaide International 2024 tickets

Aussies in action – Adelaide

TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, first round
Adam Walton (AUS) d [2] Pedro Cachin (ARG) 7-5 7-6(2)
James McCabe (AUS) d [Alt] Mikalai Haliak 6-1 6-4
[Alt] Alex Bolt (AUS) d [3] Tomas Machac (CZE) 6-1 6-1
[WC] Matthew Dellavedova (AUS) d [6] Juan Pablo Varillas (PER) 6-3 0-6 6-4
[4] Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) d [Alt] Luke Saville (AUS) 1-6 6-3 6-2
[5] Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) d [Alt] Blake Ellis (AUS) 6-3 6-2
[8] Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) d [WC] Jacob Bradshaw (AUS) 6-3 6-4

COMING UP
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
Adam Walton (AUS) v [5] Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)
James McCabe (AUS) v [8] Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
[Alt] Alex Bolt (AUS) v [WC] Matthew Dellavedova (AUS)

Men’s singles, first round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [7] Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Qualifier
[WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Dusan Lajovic (SRB)
[WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Dan Evans (GBR)
[WC] Chris O’Connell (AUS) v Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)

> VIEW: Adelaide International 2024 men’s singles draw

Women’s singles, first round
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) v Caroline Garcia (FRA)

> VIEW: Adelaide International 2024 women’s singles draw

Men’s doubles, first round
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Bye
Andrew Harris (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v Francisco Cabral (POR)/Henry Patten (GBR)
John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) v Ariel Behar (URU)/Adam Pavlasek (CZE)
[WC] Blake Ellis (AUS)/Calum Puttergill (AUS) v Marcelo Melo (BRA)/Matwe Middelkoop (NED)
[WC] Alex Bolt (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) v Constantin Frantzen (GER)/Hendrik Jebens (GER)

Women’s doubles, first round
[4] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Caroline Garcia (FRA)/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
[WC] Elena Micic (AUS)/Tina Smith (AUS) v Veronika Kudermetova/Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

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