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Australian Adam Walton is right in the mix to become the first local into the Australian Open second round, holding a two-sets-to-one lead against Frenchman Quentin Halys.
Testing times: Australian Adam Walton is action on Sunday night.Credit: Getty Images
The world No.90 showed plenty of composure to claim the opening two sets on court three, but Halys battled back to force the match into at least a fourth set.
Countryman Li Tu and Omar Jasika went down earlier on Sunday in their first-round clashes, while the Australians still on court today include Daria Saville.
Alexander Zverev is the No.2 seed at the Australian Open … and has shown why that’s the case early in his first-round clash.
Long and lean: Alexander Zverev has taken the first two sets.Credit: Getty Images
Alexander Zverev takes a two sets lead with a 6-4, 6-4 advantage over Lucas Pouille. The left-handed Frenchman has battled hard, but the long and lean Zverev is in control. Pouille has now taken a bathroom break.
Meanwhile, Australian Adam Walton is up 6-4, 6-4, 4-6 against Frenchman Quentin Halys on court three. And Daria Saville has taken the first set 6-1 from Anna Blinkova.
Daria Saville has the early break, and leads 3-1 in the first set against Anna Blinkova on Margaret Court Arena. Meanwhile, Zverev is up 4-3 in the second set, having taken the first against Lucas Pouille.
Australian Daria Saville has taken to the court against Anna Blinkova, with scores locked at 1-1 apiece in the first set.
Zverev claimed the early break in the second set, and was close to a second, before Pouille steadied to trail 2-1.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Ugo Humbert is facing a tough fight with Italian Matteo Gigante. Humbert claimed the first set 7-6, but it’s 5-5 in the second.
Wildcard Li Tu’s gutsy first-round effort has ended in defeat, the Australian falling in four sets against Czech Jiri Lehecka on Margaret Court Arena.
Tu was one of five Australians originally scheduled for opening day of the Open, with Daria Saville and Adam Walton still set to finish their matches on Sunday night.
End of the road: Li Tu has fallen in the first round.Credit: Getty Images
Tu was hanging in the match deep into the fourth-set, pushing it to a tie-breaker.
But the Czech stepped up his play a notch and closed out the match impressively. Lehecka, seeded 24th and victorious at the Brisbane International last week, won 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1).
