Four locals have advanced in the Australian Open junior boys’ singles on a successful Australia Day at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
Third seed Jason Kubler was the first to progress to the third round, comfortably defeating Jannick Lupescu of the Netherlands 6-2 6-4.
The young Queenslander broke Lupescu’s serve early and jumped to a 2-1 lead in the opening set. Kubler broke Lupescu another two times en route to securing the set in 32 minutes.
Kubler, who was knocked out by world No.24 Ivan Ljubicic in the opening round of the main draw, was given more competition in the second, but proved too strong for his Dutch opponent, clinching the match in just over an hour.
“I did well enough to win today,” Kubler said.
“I still don’t think I played my best tennis. You know, you can’t win the tournament in the second round. Hopefully I can continue to keep playing well each day.”
The 16-year-old has set up a clash with fellow Australian Sean Berman, who knocked out 16th seed Jozef Kovalik of Slovakia in three close sets, 6-1 3-6 6-4. The pair played in the final at the Boys Optus 18s Australian Championship, and Kubler said he is looking forward to playing the Victorian again after beating him in December.
“I know a little bit about him, I’ve played him once … I’m looking forward to the match. I’m hoping it will be good.”
Berman and Kubler will be joined in the third round by Queensland’s Benjamin Mitchell and James Duckworth of New South Wales, while Queenslander Maverick Banes, South Australian Luke Saville and New South Wales pair Joey Swaysland and Ben Wagland all crashed out.
It was a tough day on the Australian girls’ side of the draw as Monika Wejnert, Sophie Letcher and Abbie Myers all exited the second round.
Wejnert bowed out to sixth seed Karolina Pliskova in straight sets, 6-3 7-5. The Queenslander had five chances to break the Czech in the opening set but blew her opportunities.
The 17-year-old stepped up in the second after she lost her serve in the opening game. Wejnert broke the Czech’s serve to level the set 5-5 before Pliskova rallied to clinch the set and match in just over an hour.
Fellow Queenslander Letcher bundled out to Anna Arina Marenko of Russia, who won 0-6 6-1 6-2. Seventeen-year-old Letcher looked dangerous in the opening set, demolishing her Russian opponent without losing a game in just 22 minutes.
Marenko completely turned the game around in the second set, breaking Letcher three times and eventually taking out the set 6-1. It was all Marenko from there, as she strolled to a 3-0 lead en route to closing out the match.
Marenko will meet top seed Timea Babos of Hungary, who came back from a set down to oust Pole Sandra Zaniewska 1-6 6-4 6-1.
With Wejnert and Letcher out earlier in the day, local hopes lay with Abbie Myers of NSW. Myers fought hard to overcome Romanian Cristina Dinu in the opening set, which she won 7-5 in 50 minutes.
Fifteen-year-old Myers gained an early break in the second to get ahead 3-1. Serving at 5-3, she saved two break points but could not stop a third as Dinu broke, forcing the set to a tie-breaker. Myers battled for two hours and 14 minutes, but could do very little to stop the dominant Romanian in the decider, as Dinu cruised to a 5-0 lead in the decider before closing out the match 5-7 7-6(4) 6-1.
Dinu will now play Laura Robson, the 2009 junior girls’ runner-up, who progressed after she was forced to three sets by 11th-seeded Yulia Putintseva of Russia. Robson eventually prevailed 6-2 3-6 6-2.
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