Miami, USA, 21 March 2024 | Rhys de Deugd

Chris O’Connell has scored the first Miami Open main-draw win of his career, with a straight-sets showpiece against world No.116 Vit Kopriva.

The Australian came out of the blocks quickly to take a 5-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the opening set – before another break to start the second, allowed him to cruise to a 6-2 6-4 victory.

O’Connell did not drop serve for the entire match, firing away 10 aces in the process.

The world No.66 improves on his promising start to the 2024 season, as he progresses through to the second round of his sixth-consecutive tour-level event.

In the second round he will next face the 21st seed Frances Tiafoe for the first time in his career.

O’Connell joins seeded Australians Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson in the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event, with Alexei Popyrin, Aleksander Vukic and Adam Walton still hoping to add to the Aussie contingent.

There will also be two Australians in the second round of the women’s singles draw in Miami, with Storm Hunter joining Daria Saville in the next stage, much like the same event in 2022.

Hunter carried on from her successful qualifying run in the first round of the main draw as she moved past world No.61 Martina Trevisan.

The Aussie looked strong as she took a commanding 6-3 3-0 lead on Court 1 before Trevisan was forced to retire.

Hunter will face in-form American Emma Navarro for a place in the Miami Open third round.

Aussies in action – Miami

RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
Chris O’Connell (AUS) d [Q] Vit Kopriva (CZE) 6-2 6-4
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) d Max Purcell (AUS) 6-2 6-1
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) d Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 7-5 7-6(3)

Women’s singles, first round
[Q] Storm Hunter (AUS) d Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-3 3-0 ret.

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG)
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)
[Q] Adam Walton (AUS) v Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)

Men’s singles, second round
[9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v TBD
[33] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v TBD
Chris O’Connell (AUS) v [21] Frances Tiafoe (USA)

> VIEW: Miami Open men’s singles draw

Women’s singles, second round
Daria Saville (AUS) v [28] Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
Storm Hunter (AUS) v [20] Emma Navarro (USA)

> VIEW: Miami Open women’s singles draw

Men’s doubles, first round
[1] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Simone Bolelli (ITA)/Andrea Vavassori (ITA)
John Peers (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v Marcelo Arevalo (ESA)/Mate Pavic (CRO)
Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v [WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)/Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Ariel Behar (URU)/Adam Pavlasek (CZE)

Women’s doubles, first round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v Wang Xinyu (CHN)/Zheng Saisai (CHN)
[4] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Veronika Kudermetova/Anastasia Potapova

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