Imagine the sheer elation, the overwhelming relief – that's the feeling Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis experienced as she battled her way into the third round of the Australian Open. But amidst this triumph, a shadow hangs: are Inglis and De Minaur destined to be the last Aussies standing?
In a heart-stopping display of resilience, Inglis, making her first Grand Slam appearance in four years, secured a coveted spot in the Australian Open's round of 32. Her opponent, the seasoned German player Laura Siegemund, proved a formidable adversary, but Inglis ultimately prevailed in a nail-biting match that stretched for three hours and 20 minutes on ANZ Arena. The final score? A hard-earned 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-7) victory for the Aussie underdog.
Just when it seemed Inglis's chances were slipping away after failing to capitalize on a chance to serve for the match in the second set, she dug deep. She mirrored her first-round comeback against close friend Kim Birrell, breaking back when Siegemund was serving for the match at 5-4 in the third. This act of pure grit showed everyone what she was made of.
And this is the part most people miss... Despite an apparent late-match injury while stretching for a ball, the Perth native shook off the pain and nerves to conquer the first-to-10-point tiebreaker. The moment she won the final point in a tense rally, Inglis collapsed to the ground, the sole Australian woman to reach the tournament's third round. What a moment!
"I didn’t come in with high expectations," Inglis confessed, still buzzing from the adrenaline. "I can take it to anyone on any given day, but I wouldn’t have dreamed of this. In the third set, the crowd gave me the energy I didn’t think I had. Coming into this, I hadn’t played a match for six weeks."
Her journey to this point has been nothing short of grueling, clocking in at six hours and 21 minutes on the court across her two main-draw singles matches, plus a doubles match and three qualifying wins. Considering she hadn't played in a Grand Slam main draw since 2022, Inglis is now guaranteed a substantial $327,750 for her efforts in reaching the third round. This will be a massive boost to her career and bank account.
Currently ranked 168th in the world, but poised to jump into the top 100, Inglis is now equalling her best Grand Slam result, achieved at Melbourne Park four years prior. However, the broader picture for Australian players at the Open is less rosy.
But here's where it gets controversial... After a promising start with 11 Australians advancing to the second round, it appears that Alex de Minaur and Inglis might be the only ones left standing. Rinky Hijikata and Dane Sweeny faced early exits on Thursday, succumbing to their higher-ranked opponents.
Sweeny, fresh off his first Grand Slam match win just two days prior, was overwhelmed by American eighth seed Ben Shelton in a swift hour and 42 minutes. Hijikata, on the other hand, endured a tough start against 30th seed Valentin Vacherot, but managed to put up a fight, even snatching the third set. Ultimately, Vacherot closed out the match 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in two hours and 28 minutes. This came after Wednesday saw a string of Australian players, including Jordan Thompson, Ajla Tomljanovic, Talia Gibson, Storm Hunter, and Priscilla Hon, fall by the wayside.
De Minaur, the world No. 6, was the lone Aussie to advance that day, eventually dominating Serb Hamad Medjedovic after a shaky first set. Wildcard Taylah Preston managed to steal a set from 13th seed Linda Noskova, but ultimately lost to the Czech star 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Veteran wildcard James Duckworth now faces perhaps the toughest challenge of all, a prime-time clash on Rod Laver Arena against none other than dual defending champion Jannik Sinner. Can Duckworth pull off the impossible?
Ultimately, Inglis's inspiring run provides a bright spot for Australian tennis fans. But the question remains: Is this a sign of a resurgence in Australian tennis, or a fleeting moment of glory? What do you think? Are the expectations on Australian players too high? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
