19 July 2016 | Tennis Queensland

John Millman competing at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for Wimbledon 2016.

Local representatives have returned home after impressive results against some of the world’s greatest competitors at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

After losing in the second round in 2014 and 2015, Bernard Tomic was determined to get back to his Wimbledon best and fight deep into the 2016 event. This wasn’t going to be easy, taking on World No.47 Fernando Verdasco in the first-round. The matched proved to be a marathon fight, but Tomic was not ready to come home early and eventually triumphed with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 3-6 6-4 win. Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot, suffered a similar fate in the second-round with Tomic finishing another tough fight on top 7-6(3) 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3. After two strenuous matches, Tomic’s straight-sets win over 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-4 6-4 was a welcomed relief, however the fourth round brought another 5-set thriller against Frenchman Lucas Pouille, and unfortunately this time Tomic was to fall 10-8 in the final set .

Another local favourite who enjoyed an epic week at the All England Club was John Millan. His first-round victory over Albert Montanes 7-5 4-6 5-7 6-4 6-3 set him apart as a strong Queensland contender. In the second-round Millman learned of his Rio Olympic team selection shortly before taking the court. Potentially this extra motivation helped bring about an impressive 7-6(5) 6-3 4-6 6-2 second-round upset of 26th seed Benoit Paire. The win set the stage for Millman’s Centre Court debut at Wimbledon in the third round, meeting second seed and home favourite Andy Murray for a match to remember. Murray proved too strong in the end with a straight-sets defeat (6-3 7-5 6-2) on his journey to eventually take out the Championship title.

In the women’s, Sam Stosur’s first round saw off Magda Linette in straight sets 7-5, 6-3. In the second round Stosur fell victim to the power and precision of 2013 runner-up Sabine Lisicki in a 6-4 6-2 defeat. After a lengthy break, 20-year-old Ashleigh Barty also returned to the Championships entering the Qualifying event. She was impressive in her first-round against China’s Lu Jia-Jing, completing a 7-6(3) 6-3 win in 78 minutes. In the second round, Barty faced Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum. She looked to be back at her best, taking out the opening set comfortably (3-6), however it was not to be as Kumkhum found a new energy to take the second and third 6-4 6-2, ending Barty’s hopes at returning to the Wimbledon main draw.