Melbourne, Australia – former semi-finalist Fernando VerdascoHis hopes of reaching the main draw of the 18th Australian Open are alive as he fought his way into the second round of qualifying.
The former world No. 7 who lost a five-set open semi to the eventual champion Rafael Nadal In 2009, Tuesday came back from a set down to beat Croatia’s Nino Serdarusic 3-6 6-4 6-2.
The 39-year-old Spaniard was free to compete again on Sunday after serving only a two-month doping ban after he forgot to renew his therapeutic-use exemption for the ADHD drug methylphenidate.
Verdasco, now ranked 125, will face China’s Shang Juncheng in the second round on Wednesday.
The Australians in Tuesday’s action at Melbourne Park Mark PolmansLee you Priscilla Hon, Ellen Perez And Astra Sharma were among those to advance to the second round.
Polmans, who is attempting to build form after an ankle injury limited him to 2022, can be easily accounted for Lucas Klein 6-3 6-4 while you beat jozef kovalik 6-2 6-2.
wildcard sharma won Katharina Hobgarsky 6-3 5-7 6-1 while Hon won 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 over the American Katrina Scott,
Perez defeated compatriot Petra Hull 6-0 6-2 in just over an hour.
madison inglis lost to french woman Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 3-6 6-4.
Omar Jasika’s attempt to reach his first Grand Slam main draw was short-lived, with the 25-year-old American losing in straight sets. dennis kudla 6-1 6-1.
james duckworth lost to Mikhail Kukushkin 7–5 6–4 while wildcards Edward Winter and Filip Sekulic both lost to Japanese opponents.
Winter was beaten 7-5 6-1 by Ryo Noguchi while Sekulic lost 6-4 6-2 to Yosuke Watanuki.
The pair were among those awarded wildcards ahead of Bernard Tomic.
fellow aussie Alexandra Bozovic taken on top seeded merit Alicia Park And being a wildcard, beat him 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) Alicia Bolton was beaten by jodi barrage 6-2 6-4.