World No.9 Alex de Minaur has overwhelmed Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena in his first match in six weeks on the European Open ATP 250 occasion.
Antwerp, Belgium, 17 October 2024 | Jackson Mansell
Alex de Minaur has returned to the tour in model, recovering from a sluggish begin to defeat Roberto Carballes Baena within the second spherical of the Antwerp ATP 500 occasion.
In his first match in six weeks, the world No.9 got here from a set all the way down to triumph towards the 31-year-old Spaniard 2-6 6-4 6-2.
The European Open marks the primary event outdoors the majors the Australian has contested since Queen’s in June, because of a lingering hip damage sustained on his run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
De Minaur returned to make the US Open quarterfinals in September earlier than his damage flared once more throughout a straight-sets defeat to Jack Draper and he had not competed since.
The 25-year-old was grateful he was capable of struggle again for a win on his return to tour.
“It’s by no means straightforward getting back from damage or from a very long time enjoying. Look I’m glad I used to be capable of win immediately, it took quite a lot of struggle and energy, so I’m glad to get a primary win right here in Antwerp,” De Minaur informed TennisTV.
“The match is rarely over till the final level, that’s what I at all times inform myself. I’m at all times going to compete till the very finish, and it’s helped me win quite a lot of matches, so I higher preserve doing it.”
“I feel because the match went on, I began to seek out my rhythm, my stage, I grew to become somewhat bit extra aggressive and did what I wanted to do get the win immediately to. Hopefully I can construct on this and the following match I can play even higher.”
Within the quarterfinals, the highest seed will subsequent face Frenchman Hugo Gaston, a participant who defeated him at Roland Garros in 2022.
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In the meantime, Aleksandar Vukic gained an all-Australian showdown in Almaty towards latest Hangzhou Challenger title winner James Duckworth.
The world No.85 served strongly all through the match, touchdown 14 aces in comparison with Duckworth’s 4 to prevail 6-4 7-5. Vukic arrange a second-round match with eighth seed Adrian Mannarino.
On the ladies’s facet, world No.178 Kimberly Birrell has progressed to the following spherical of the Japan Open in Osaka. Birrell defeated Zheng Saisai 6-2 6-3 inside 72 minutes.
Birrell reached the spherical of 16 at a WTA 250 occasion for the primary time since June. She’s going to face world No.28 Elise Mertens this afternoon.
It comes as Australia’s top-two ranked girls, Olivia Gadecki and Ajla Tomljanovic, and world No.276 Priscilla Hon misplaced within the first spherical in Ningbo.
In doubles, high seeds Ellen Perez and American Nicole Melichar-Martinez moved into the Ningbo WTA 250 quarterfinals, whereas on the Stockholm ATP 250 occasion, John-Patrick Smith and German Andreas Mies additionally reached the quarterfinals.
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