Kimberly Birrell is one in every of six Aussies who superior to the second spherical of Australian Open 2025 Qualifying.
Melbourne, VIC, 7 January 2025 | Jackson Mansell
Kimberly Birrell has continued her groundbreaking begin to the 2025 season, progressing to the second spherical of Australian Open qualifying.
Regardless of being challenged by Sara Saito within the opening set, Birrell’s 17 winners to 3 within the second set helped the Aussie safe the match 7-6(4) 6-2.
“I used to be actually pleased with how I completed,” Birrell stated. “I knew she was a very good participant. I performed her not too way back and she will play rather well, however I believe I simply knew if I caught along with her when she was having these scorching patches, that I might be capable of get on high.
“I believe I used to be capable of run away with the momentum on this second set, so I used to be tremendous joyful.”
7-6, 6-2, and thru – a straight units win for Kimberly Birrell within the ladies’s singles qualifying 😍@kimbirrell98 #A02025 pic.twitter.com/lEyp9yciE6
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 7, 2025
A sound baseline defence has been the catalyst for the world No.99’s type – one thing she has frequently sought to enhance.
“It’s been an actual theme I might say since I got here again from damage,” Birrell stated. “Once I was out for that time frame, I actually centered on areas in my recreation, like my motion, that I believe I wanted to enhance and I’ve continued to do this during the last 12 months and it’s at all times an enormous focus of mine in any coaching block.”
Australia’s newly ranked No.1 is on a excessive after her career-defining run on the Brisbane Worldwide final week.
The Gold Coast resident claimed the largest victory of her profession, prevailing in opposition to world No.8 Emma Navarro within the second spherical. She then defeated world No.35 Anastasia Potapova in straight units to arrange her maiden quarterfinal look at a WTA 500 occasion.
“I believe the largest factor from final week is simply confidence and perception in myself,” Birrell stated on what she learnt throughout her Brisbane Worldwide run. “You’ll be able to inform your self that you just imagine and to be courageous, however I believe till you’ll be able to truly show it on courtroom and have these huge wins and play effectively in these strain moments, that’s when the actual confidence comes.
“That was a fairly large week final week and [I] performed some bodily matches and it’s emotionally and mentally draining. So, I’m simply attempting to remain actually centered and it doesn’t matter what occurs this week, I’m tremendous proud.”
> READ: Birrell advances to maiden WTA 500 quarterfinal
Birrell’s subsequent qualifying opponent is fellow Aussie Priscilla Hon, who defeated American Usue Maitane Arconada 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4. The pair will meet for the second time in two weeks, in a rematch of their first-round encounter in Brisbane.
Earlier on Tuesday, Maddison Inglis wasted no time in opposition to Elsa Jacquemot. The world No.148 wanted simply 74 minutes to conquer her French opponent, profitable 6-3 6-2.
The 26-year-old West Australian fell agonisingly wanting a main-draw berth at Australian Open 2024, succumbing to Ukrainian Daria Snigur within the last spherical of qualifying. In a match that lasted simply over two hours, Inglis misplaced 6-3 within the deciding set.
“That was a tricky one to take,” she stated. “You go into that third set within the final spherical and there’s lots on the road for these six or no matter video games.
“I used to be actually disenchanted with that, however I got here so shut and I do know that I can get there. I’ve simply gotta take it one match at a time, one level at a time and we’ll see what occurs.
“Personally, I believe [with] qualifying, I’ve accomplished it as soon as and it was among the finest emotions in my entire profession,” Inglis added. “So to have the ability to do it on the Australian Open, I believe would simply be like one other stage.”
Arina Rodionova and wildcards Dane Sweeny and Astra Sharma all inched one step nearer to the Australian Open 2025 essential draw after their first-round victories on Tuesday.
Aussies in motion – Australian Open 2025
TODAY’S RESULTS
Ladies’s qualifying singles, first spherical
[9] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) d Sara Saito (JPN) 7-6(4) 6-2
[5] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) d Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) 7-6(5) 5-7 6-4
Arina Rodionova (AUS) d Aliona Falei 6-3 7-5
Priscilla Hon (AUS) d Usue Maitane Arconada (USA) 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4
Maddison Inglis (AUS) d Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 6-3 6-2
[WC] Astra Sharma (AUS) d Mai Hontama (JPN) 3-6 6-3 6-4
[16] Petra Martic (CRO) d Petra Hule (AUS) 6-2 7-6(6)
Males’s qualifying singles, first spherical
[21] Jozef Kovalik (SVK) d Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-3 6-1
[2] Mattia Bellucci (ITA) d [WC] Pavle Marinkov (AUS) 6-3 6-3
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) d [WC] Cruz Hewitt (AUS) 6-1 6-4
[WC] Dane Sweeny (AUS) d Pierre-Hughes Herbert (FRA) 7-6(4) 6-2
August Holmgren (DEN) d [WC] Hayden Jones (AUS) 7-6(8) 4-6 7-6(8)
[6] Thiago Monteiro (BRA) d Jason Kubler (AUS) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Valentin Royer (FRA) d Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-3 6-0
COMING UP
Ladies’s qualifying singles, first spherical
Veronika Erjavec (SLO) v Alana Subasic (AUS)
Elena Pridankina v Elena Micic (AUS)
Males’s qualifying singles, first spherical
Antoine Escoffier (FRA) v Blake Ellis (AUS)
Edward Winter (AUS) v Carlos Taberner (ESP)
Terence Atmane (FRA) Matthew Dellavedova (AUS)
Ladies’s qualifying singles, second spherical
[3] Harriet Dart (GBR) v Taylah Preston (AUS)
[5] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) v Maddison Inglis (AUS)
[9] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v Priscilla Hon (AUS)
[WC] Astra Sharma (AUS) v Oksana Selekhmeteva
Destanee Aiava (AUS) v Panna Udvardy (HUN)
[23] Eva Lys (GER) v Arina Rodionova (AUS)
Males’s qualifying singles, second spherical
[WC] Dane Sweeny (AUS) v [17] Jaime Faria (POR)
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