Saville scores top-50 win in opening round at Nottingham | 11 June, 2024 | All News | News and Features | News and Events

Australian Daria Saville begins her grass-court season in style, eliminating one of the top seeds at a WTA 250 tournament in Great Britain.

Nottingham, Great Britain, 11 June 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Nottingham, Great Britain

Two Australians have advanced to the second round in singles at a WTA 250 tournament in Nottingham.

Daria Saville made an emphatic start to her grass-court season, eliminating world No.42 Clara Burel in the opening round.

World No.84 Saville posted a 6-3 6-3 victory against the fourth-seeded Frenchwoman.

This is Saville’s eighth career top-50 win on grass and just her second since 2019.

The 30-year-old Australian will face another Frenchwoman, world No.64 Diane Parry, in the next round.

Kimberly Birrell continued her impressive form, scoring a 6-3 7-5 victory against British qualifier Emily Appleton.

This is the world No.148’s first WTA-level main-draw win since October 2023.

The in-form Birrell has now won 15 of her past 18 matches, providing plenty of confidence as she prepares for a second-round clash with another qualifier, Italian Lucrezia Stefanini.

Aussies in action – Nottingham

RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
Daria Saville (AUS) d [4] Clara Burel (FRA) 6-3 6-3
[Q] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) d [Q] Emily Appleton (GBR) 6-3 7-5

COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
Daria Saville (AUS) v Diane Parry (FRA)
[Q] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v [Q] Lucrezia Stefanini (ITA)

Women’s doubles, first round
[2] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Alycia Parks (USA)/Alana Smith (USA)

‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Only one match featuring an Australian was completed across a rain-interrupted day at a combined ATP 250 and WTA 250 grass-court tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Rinky Hijikata combined with American Mackenzie McDonald to edge out the all-American duo of Sebastian Korda and Tommy Paul in first-round men’s doubles action.

Hijikata and McDonald scored a hard-fought 6-2 6-7(7) [10-7] victory to secure a quarterfinal spot.

Aussies in action – ‘s-Hertogenbosch

RESULTS
Men’s doubles, first round
[WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Mackenzie McDonald (USA) d Sebastian Korda (USA)/Tommy Paul (USA) 6-2 6-7(7) [10-7]

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
[1] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Bye
[8] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Milos Raonic (CAN)
Max Purcell (AUS) v Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Rinky Hijikata (AUS)
[Q] Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) v [7] Sebastian Korda (USA)

Women’s singles, first round
Arina Rodionova (AUS) v [3] Ekaterina Alexandrova

Men’s doubles, first round
[4] Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Ryan Seggerman (USA)/Patrik Trhac (USA)
John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) v [3] Ivan Dodig (CRO)/Henry Patten (GBR)

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
[WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Mackenzie McDonald (USA) v TBC

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