The clay-court season begins this week with ATP and WTA tournaments across three different continents.
Houston, USA, 4 April 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Houston, USA
Max Purcell has made a promising start to the clay-court season, qualifying for a tour-level event on clay for the first time in his career.
The 23-year-old Aussie earned his place in the main draw at an ATP 250 tournament in Houston with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory against Switzerland’s Moez Echargui.
World No.163 Purcell, who is set to face Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas in the first round, joins fellow Australians Jordan Thompson and Nick Kyrgios in the main draw.
Aussies in action – Houston
TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
[4] Max Purcell (AUS) d Moez Echargui (SUI) 4-6 6-3 6-3
COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [LL] Steven Diez (CAN)
[WC] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v Mackenzie McDonald (USA)
[Q] Max Purcell (AUS) v Pablo Cuevas (URU)
Men’s doubles, first round
[1] Matthew Ebden (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) v Steve Johnson (USA)/Sam Querrey (USA)
[3] Nick Kyrgios (AUS)/Jack Sock (USA) v Andre Goransson (SWE)/Nathaniel Lammons (USA)
Luke Saville (AUS)/John-Patrick Smith (AUS) v [4] Hans Hach Verdugo (MEX)/Austin Krajicek (USA)
Marrakech, Morocco
Alexei Popyrin begins his clay-court swing at a ATP 250 tournament in Marrakech this week.
The 22-year-old Australian, a former Roland Garros boys’ singles champion, has been pitted against a qualifier in the opening round.
Aussies in action – Marrakech
COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Qualifier
Charleston, USA
Ajla Tomljanovic is now Australia’s top-ranked woman, beginning her reign this week following the retirement of Ash Barty.
The 28-year-old starts her clay-court season at a WTA 500 tournament in Charleston, where she is the No.14 seed.
Tomljanovic faces American qualifier Sophie Chang in the opening round of the women’s singles draw.
Aussies in action – Charleston
COMING UP
Women’s singles, first round
[14] Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [Q] Sophie Chang (USA)
Women’s doubles, first round
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS)/Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) v [1] Caroline Dolehide (USA)/Zhang Shuai (CHN)
Bogota, Colombia
Astra Sharma is the seventh seed at a WTA 250 tournament in Bogota this week.
The 26-year-old from Perth has a good record at the event, advancing to the singles final in 2019 and capturing the doubles title in the same year alongside fellow Aussie Zoe Hives.
Sharma begins her singles campaign this year against a qualifier.
Aussies in action – Bogota
COMING UP
Women’s singles, first round
[7] Astra Sharma (AUS) v Qualifier
Women’s doubles, first round
Astra Sharma (AUS)/Aldila Sutjiadi (IDN) v Rebecca Peterson (SWE)/Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK)
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