San Diego, USA, 28 February 2024 | Leigh Rogers

San Diego, USA

Taylah Preston is proving she is a star on the rise at a WTA 500 tournament in San Diego.

The 18-year-old from Perth scored a milestone first tour-level victory today, fighting past Poland’s Magdalena Frech 6-4 4-6 6-1 in the opening round.

Preston, a wildcard entry, took two hours and four minutes to beat world No.42 Frech, who advanced to the Australian Open fourth round last month.

This is Preston’s second career top-100 win and first against a top-50 player.

It continues an impressive run of form for Preston, who progressed to the biggest singles final of her career at a WTA 125 tournament in Mexico last week. This propelled Preston to a career-high ranking of world No.153.

Preston’s second-round opponent is world No.34 Marta Kostyuk.

Aussies in action – San Diego

RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) d Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-4 4-6 6-1

COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
[Q] Daria Saville (AUS) v Tatjana Maria (GER)
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) v [6] Marta Kostyuk (UKR)

Women’s doubles, first round
[2] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v Miriam Kolodziejova (CZE)/Katarzyna Piter (POL)
[3] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Donna Vekic (CRO)/Zhu Lin (CHN)

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Chris O’Connell has charged into the second round at an ATP 500 tournament in Dubai.

The 29-year-old Australian did not face a break point in his 6-2 6-4 dismissal of German qualifier Maximilian Marterer in the opening round.

World No.68 O’Connell conceded only 10 points in total across his service games in the 76-minute encounter.

This sets up a second-round showdown with world No.8 Hubert Hurkacz.

In doubles action, Matt Ebden scored his first win as world No.1.

The 36-year-old Australian teamed with India’s Rohan Bopanna to scrap past Tunisian Skander Mansouri and Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 7-6(4) 7-6(5) in the opening round.

> READ: Ebden reflects on rise to world No.1 – “It’s a little bit surreal”

Aussies in action – Dubai

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
Chris O’Connell (AUS) d [Q] Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-2 6-4

Men’s doubles, first round
[1] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) d [WC] Skander Mansouri (TUN)/Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) 7-6(4) 7-6(5)
[2] Ivan Dodig (CRO)/Austin Krajicek (USA) d [LL] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) 7-6(2) 7-6(4)

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
Chris O’Connell (AUS) v [3] Hubert Hurkacz (POL)

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Ariel Behar (URU)/Adam Pavlasek (CZE)

Acapulco, Mexico

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson have bowed out in the opening round of an ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco.

The 25-year-old Purcell tested world No.16 Frances Tiafoe early, before succumbing in three sets.

Meanwhile, Thompson’s winning run after clinching his maiden ATP title at Los Cabos last week came to an end against American qualifier Aleksander Kovacevic.

Aussies in action – Acapulco

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[8] Frances Tiafoe (USA) d Max Purcell (AUS) 4-6 6-3 6-0
[Q] Aleksander Kovacevic (USA) d Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3 5-7 6-4

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
[3] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Sebastian Ofner (AUT)

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
John Peers (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v Julian Cash (GBR)/Robert Galloway (USA)

Austin, USA

Olivia Gadecki proved no match for former world No.7 Danielle Collins in the opening round at a WTA 250 tournament in Austin.

Collins, the Australian Open 2022 finalist, scored a 7-5 6-3 victory against the 21-year-old Aussie qualifier.

Gadecki’s attention now turns to doubles, where she has progressed to the quarterfinals alongside Brit Olivia Nicholls.

Aussies in action – Austin

RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
[3] Danielle Collins (USA) d [Q] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) 7-5 6-3

COMING UP
Women’s doubles, first round
[WC] Maya Joint (AUS)/Sabina Zeynalova (UKR) v Elixane Lechemia (FRA)/Anna Siskova (CZE)

Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Olivia Nicholls (GBR) v TBC

Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!