Atlanta, United States, 24 July 2024 | Dan Imhoff

Adam Walton is counting his lucky stars after a call-up to the main draw for his Atlanta debut on Monday.

The Queenslander, who spent five years at the University of Tennessee Knoxville only a three-hour drive north of the Georgian capital, made the most of his lucky loser place for a 6-4 6-4 win over sixth seed and world No.52 Miomir Kecmanovic – his first over a top-60 opponent and only his fourth against anyone in the top 100.

While Thanasi Kokkinakis pulled out of the Atlanta main draw, Walton’s elevation due to South African Lloyd Harris’ withdrawal ensured there were still five Australians in the field.

The world No.95 had fallen to Italian Mattia Bellucci in the final round of qualifying but joined compatriots Jordan Thompson, Max Purcell, Chris O’Connell and Aleksandar Vukic in the main draw.

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One of 10 Aussie men in the top 100 – the equal most of any nation alongside the US and France – Walton found the camaraderie reassuring, especially at Wimbledon earlier this month where he won his first match at a major against Federico Coria before he narrowly succumbed to Francisco Comesana in the next round.

“Usually, when we go to tournaments before the event, more than likely you’ll practise with the other Australians, and we can go to dinner and stuff like that together,” he said ahead of his Wimbledon debut.

“I just feel like that sort of support in that regard. We’re playing cards at lunch or doing things like that, just mingling around each other and just the talk when you’re talking to each other, and I think everyone’s in good spirits and bringing everyone up.”

While the grass-court season landed him a first ATP main draw win in Mallorca and maiden Grand Slam main-draw win, competing Stateside had long reaped rewards for the 25-year-old.

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Before turning pro in 2022, Walton scored more than 200 college-level match wins in singles and doubles in his five years at Knoxville, while he and fellow Aussie Pat Harper won the NCAA doubles national championship.

“I wasn’t even sure if I’d play pro tennis after college,” Walton told Australian Tennis Magazine. “I really wasn’t sure until my last year in college, when I had my best results and finished the collegiate system ranked No.2 behind Ben Shelton (the top seed in Atlanta).

“My coach there said I should at least give it a crack and I had some pretty decent success straight off the bat, so that kind of helped me to commit to playing pro.”

Now a winner of eight singles and four doubles ATP Challenger and ITF titles, Walton still trains in Knoxville when not on tour or back home. He is already up to a career-best world No.88 in the live rankings, and more competition Stateside beckons with a US Open main draw just around the corner.

First, he has a shot at revenge against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, his Roland Garros conqueror from this year, with a maiden ATP quarterfinal on the line in Atlanta.

Fellow Aussie Vukic was not so fortunate in his first round after he retired injured against Bellucci as the Italian led 1-6 6-4 3-1.

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