Paris, France, 21 May 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Three Australian women scored wins on the opening day of action in the Roland Garros 2024 qualifying competition.

Taylah Preston made a dream pro-level debut in Paris, powering to a 6-2 6-4 victory against Croatian Tara Wurth.

The 21-year-old Wurth lists clay as her favourite surface and won an ITF 75 tournament in Croatia last week, dropping only a single set in an impressive run.

However, the less experienced Preston had her measure in their first-round clash.

The highly touted 18-year-old from Perth fired 18 winners to 12, helping her wrap up victory in 86 minutes.

World No.137 Preston will face a fellow debutante, 18-year-old Alexandra Eala from the Philippines, in the next round.

Astra Sharma was tested early in her opening-round meeting with German Ella Seidel, however, finished strongly to run out a 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2 victor.

The 28-year-old from Perth struck six aces, including three in the deciding set, in the one-hour and 54-minute encounter.

This is world No.130 Sharma’s first win at Roland Garros since 2021, when she reached the second round as a main-draw wildcard.

Sharma next faces Hungarian Timea Babos, a former world No.25 and a two-time Roland Garros doubles champion.

Olivia Gadecki eliminated a seeded opponent in the opening round, dismissing world No.122 McCartney Kessler in straight sets.

World No.165 Gadecki’s 7-6(4) 6-1 triumph is the biggest win of her career, in a completed match, on European clay.

The 22-year-old from the Gold Coast struck 30 winners to seven in the one-hour and 38-minute match.

This sets up a second-round showdown with Argentina’s Solana Sierra, a 19-year-old who was a Roland Garros girls’ singles finalist in 2022.

Seven more Australians are scheduled to play their first-round matches on day two of qualifying in Paris.

> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 qualifying day two schedule

Players need to win three rounds to earn a coveted main-draw spot at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament.

Aussies in action – Roland Garros

RESULTS
Women’s qualifying singles, first round
[22] Astra Sharma (AUS) d Ella Seidel (GER) 2-6 7-6(4) 6-2
[30] Taylah Preston (AUS) d Tara Wurth (CRO) 6-2 6-4
Olivia Gadecki (AUS) d [19] McCartney Kessler (USA) 7-6(4) 6-1
Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) d Talia Gibson (AUS) 6-1 6-1
Anastasia Tikhonova d Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) 6-3 6-3

Men’s qualifying singles, first round
Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) d Omar Jasika (AUS) 6-2 7-5
Otto Virtanen (FIN) d Dane Sweeny (AUS) 6-2 6-3

COMING UP
Women’s qualifying singles, first round
[7] Arina Rodionova (AUS) v Lucija Ciric Bagaric (CRO)
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v Polina Kudermetova
Destanee Aiava (AUS) v Oksana Selekhmeteva
Priscilla Hon (AUS) v Mona Barthel (GER)

Women’s qualifying singles, second round
[22] Astra Sharma (AUS) v Timea Babos (HUN)
[30] Taylah Preston (AUS) v Alexandra Eala (PHL)
Olivia Gadecki (AUS) v Solana Sierra (ARG)

> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 women’s qualifying singles draw

Men’s qualifying singles, first round
[3] James Duckworth (AUS) v Maxime Janvier (FRA)
Li Tu (AUS) v Oliver Crawford (GBR)
Marc Polmans (AUS) v Alejandro Moro Canas (ESP)

> VIEW: Roland Garros 2024 men’s qualifying singles draw

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