Latest news with #IlkleyTrophy
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Four march on, two fall, as Aussies aim for Wimbledon
Li Tu was the pick of the first wave of Australians in Wimbledon qualifying, knocking out Colombian Daniel Galan, the fourth seed, 6-3 6-2. Galan is ranked No.122, 46 places higher, and made the last 16 at Wimbledon two years ago before running into Jannik Sinner whereas 29-year-old Adelaide player Tu is yet to make the grasscourt slam main draw. Joining him in the second round will be Tristan Schoolkate, James McCabe and Alex Bolt who all won the first of three matches they will need to negotiate to make Wimbledon fortnight for real. Recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate had to work harder than expected against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta before coming through 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3. Bolt had a simpler Monday afternoon at Roehampton, putting away Frenchman Harold Mayot 6-3 6-4. McCabe had a 6-4 7-5 win over Borna Gojo of Croatia. There was heartbreak though for Jason Kubler, who was due to face a British wildcard ranked 943rd in the world. Shortly before he was due to face Oliver Bonding, Kubler, who does not give up easily, had to yield to a right knee injury and withdraw. There was disappointment too for Omar Jasika who fell to Czech 15th seed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-2. World No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead Australia's women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, is joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Thirteen Australians - eight men and five women - already have a place in the main draw, among them James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic who meet at the Eastbourne Open on the south coast on Tuesday (local time). Meanwhile, Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, short of grasscourt match practice after his early exit at Queen's Club, has signed on for the Boodles exhibition at Stoke Park, joining Alexei Popyrin at the upmarket event. Li Tu was the pick of the first wave of Australians in Wimbledon qualifying, knocking out Colombian Daniel Galan, the fourth seed, 6-3 6-2. Galan is ranked No.122, 46 places higher, and made the last 16 at Wimbledon two years ago before running into Jannik Sinner whereas 29-year-old Adelaide player Tu is yet to make the grasscourt slam main draw. Joining him in the second round will be Tristan Schoolkate, James McCabe and Alex Bolt who all won the first of three matches they will need to negotiate to make Wimbledon fortnight for real. Recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate had to work harder than expected against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta before coming through 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3. Bolt had a simpler Monday afternoon at Roehampton, putting away Frenchman Harold Mayot 6-3 6-4. McCabe had a 6-4 7-5 win over Borna Gojo of Croatia. There was heartbreak though for Jason Kubler, who was due to face a British wildcard ranked 943rd in the world. Shortly before he was due to face Oliver Bonding, Kubler, who does not give up easily, had to yield to a right knee injury and withdraw. There was disappointment too for Omar Jasika who fell to Czech 15th seed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-2. World No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead Australia's women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, is joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Thirteen Australians - eight men and five women - already have a place in the main draw, among them James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic who meet at the Eastbourne Open on the south coast on Tuesday (local time). Meanwhile, Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, short of grasscourt match practice after his early exit at Queen's Club, has signed on for the Boodles exhibition at Stoke Park, joining Alexei Popyrin at the upmarket event. Li Tu was the pick of the first wave of Australians in Wimbledon qualifying, knocking out Colombian Daniel Galan, the fourth seed, 6-3 6-2. Galan is ranked No.122, 46 places higher, and made the last 16 at Wimbledon two years ago before running into Jannik Sinner whereas 29-year-old Adelaide player Tu is yet to make the grasscourt slam main draw. Joining him in the second round will be Tristan Schoolkate, James McCabe and Alex Bolt who all won the first of three matches they will need to negotiate to make Wimbledon fortnight for real. Recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate had to work harder than expected against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta before coming through 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3. Bolt had a simpler Monday afternoon at Roehampton, putting away Frenchman Harold Mayot 6-3 6-4. McCabe had a 6-4 7-5 win over Borna Gojo of Croatia. There was heartbreak though for Jason Kubler, who was due to face a British wildcard ranked 943rd in the world. Shortly before he was due to face Oliver Bonding, Kubler, who does not give up easily, had to yield to a right knee injury and withdraw. There was disappointment too for Omar Jasika who fell to Czech 15th seed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-2. World No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead Australia's women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, is joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Thirteen Australians - eight men and five women - already have a place in the main draw, among them James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic who meet at the Eastbourne Open on the south coast on Tuesday (local time). Meanwhile, Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, short of grasscourt match practice after his early exit at Queen's Club, has signed on for the Boodles exhibition at Stoke Park, joining Alexei Popyrin at the upmarket event. Li Tu was the pick of the first wave of Australians in Wimbledon qualifying, knocking out Colombian Daniel Galan, the fourth seed, 6-3 6-2. Galan is ranked No.122, 46 places higher, and made the last 16 at Wimbledon two years ago before running into Jannik Sinner whereas 29-year-old Adelaide player Tu is yet to make the grasscourt slam main draw. Joining him in the second round will be Tristan Schoolkate, James McCabe and Alex Bolt who all won the first of three matches they will need to negotiate to make Wimbledon fortnight for real. Recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate had to work harder than expected against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta before coming through 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3. Bolt had a simpler Monday afternoon at Roehampton, putting away Frenchman Harold Mayot 6-3 6-4. McCabe had a 6-4 7-5 win over Borna Gojo of Croatia. There was heartbreak though for Jason Kubler, who was due to face a British wildcard ranked 943rd in the world. Shortly before he was due to face Oliver Bonding, Kubler, who does not give up easily, had to yield to a right knee injury and withdraw. There was disappointment too for Omar Jasika who fell to Czech 15th seed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-2. World No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead Australia's women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, is joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Thirteen Australians - eight men and five women - already have a place in the main draw, among them James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic who meet at the Eastbourne Open on the south coast on Tuesday (local time). Meanwhile, Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, short of grasscourt match practice after his early exit at Queen's Club, has signed on for the Boodles exhibition at Stoke Park, joining Alexei Popyrin at the upmarket event.
Perth Now
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Four march on, two fall, as Aussies aim for Wimbledon
Li Tu was the pick of the first wave of Australians in Wimbledon qualifying, knocking out Colombian Daniel Galan, the fourth seed, 6-3 6-2. Galan is ranked No.122, 46 places higher, and made the last 16 at Wimbledon two years ago before running into Jannik Sinner whereas 29-year-old Adelaide player Tu is yet to make the grasscourt slam main draw. Joining him in the second round will be Tristan Schoolkate, James McCabe and Alex Bolt who all won the first of three matches they will need to negotiate to make Wimbledon fortnight for real. Recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate had to work harder than expected against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta before coming through 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-3. Bolt had a simpler Monday afternoon at Roehampton, putting away Frenchman Harold Mayot 6-3 6-4. McCabe had a 6-4 7-5 win over Borna Gojo of Croatia. There was heartbreak though for Jason Kubler, who was due to face a British wildcard ranked 943rd in the world. Shortly before he was due to face Oliver Bonding, Kubler, who does not give up easily, had to yield to a right knee injury and withdraw. There was disappointment too for Omar Jasika who fell to Czech 15th seed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1 6-2. World No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead Australia's women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, is joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Thirteen Australians - eight men and five women - already have a place in the main draw, among them James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic who meet at the Eastbourne Open on the south coast on Tuesday (local time). Meanwhile, Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur, short of grasscourt match practice after his early exit at Queen's Club, has signed on for the Boodles exhibition at Stoke Park, joining Alexei Popyrin at the upmarket event.
The Advertiser
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Aussie army of 16 seek golden tickets for Wimbledon
Tristan Schoolkate, Australia's lone tournament winner of the grass-court season, will lead a 16-strong green-and-gold contingent seeking Wimbledon places -- and lucrative pay packets -- this week. With 13 Australians - eight man and five women - already guaranteed in the main draw next week, recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate will spearhead the challenge to join them in the cut-throat qualifying tournament at nearby Roehampton. Players will have to come through three qualifying matches at the venue 5km from the All England Club to nail down one of the coveted 16 places in each of the singles draws a week on Monday. Making the main draw will guarantee each qualifier at least a Stg 66,000 ($A137,000) pay-out even if he or she loses in the first round. Schoolkate, who earned the biggest win of his burgeoning career at the picturesque Challenger event in Ilkley that likes to dub itself the 'Wimbledon of the North', has moved to 102 in the rankings and seeks a maiden appearance at the grass-court slam. The 24-year-old, who's second seed for the qualifying event, opens on Monday against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta. Last year, Alex Bolt had just 10 minutes notice as an alternate that he would be a late replacement in the qualifying draw and went on to surprise everyone, not least himself, by going on to battle into the main draw. This year, somewhat better prepared, the 32-year-old Murray Bridge veteran will face Frenchman Harold Mayot first up, hoping to make the main draw for a fourth time. Four other Aussie men - Li Tu, Jason Kubler, James McCabe and Omar Jasika - will also open their bids on Monday while the world No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead the women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, will be joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Meanwhile, even though Alex de Minaur is not in action in any of the final pre-Wimbledon grass-court events after his early exit at Queen's Club, seven SW19-bound Australians will feature in the final warm-up tournaments this week. James Duckworth beat British wildcard Johannus Monday 6-4 6-2 and Aleksandar Vukic downed American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-3 to book their places in the Eastbourne International men's main draw. Kim Birrell also made it to the traditional seaside event, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2 6-3 in Eastbourne qualifying, to join the country's top pair, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, in the women's event. Ajla Tomljanovic, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Germany's Eva Lys, who retired when 6-4 3-2 down, to make it into the Bad Homburg WTA main draw. But the Aussie result of the day was achieved by a man who won't be heading to Wimbledon -- the enigmatic 32-year-old Bernie Tomic who reached the main draw of the Mallorca ATP event by defeating US world No.77 Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 for his first win over a top-100 player in more than two years. Remarkably, now down at 243 in the rankings, Tomic booked his place in a tour-level event for the first time since he qualified for the 2021 Australian Open, and he'll face compatriot Rinky Hijikata in Monday's first round. Tristan Schoolkate, Australia's lone tournament winner of the grass-court season, will lead a 16-strong green-and-gold contingent seeking Wimbledon places -- and lucrative pay packets -- this week. With 13 Australians - eight man and five women - already guaranteed in the main draw next week, recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate will spearhead the challenge to join them in the cut-throat qualifying tournament at nearby Roehampton. Players will have to come through three qualifying matches at the venue 5km from the All England Club to nail down one of the coveted 16 places in each of the singles draws a week on Monday. Making the main draw will guarantee each qualifier at least a Stg 66,000 ($A137,000) pay-out even if he or she loses in the first round. Schoolkate, who earned the biggest win of his burgeoning career at the picturesque Challenger event in Ilkley that likes to dub itself the 'Wimbledon of the North', has moved to 102 in the rankings and seeks a maiden appearance at the grass-court slam. The 24-year-old, who's second seed for the qualifying event, opens on Monday against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta. Last year, Alex Bolt had just 10 minutes notice as an alternate that he would be a late replacement in the qualifying draw and went on to surprise everyone, not least himself, by going on to battle into the main draw. This year, somewhat better prepared, the 32-year-old Murray Bridge veteran will face Frenchman Harold Mayot first up, hoping to make the main draw for a fourth time. Four other Aussie men - Li Tu, Jason Kubler, James McCabe and Omar Jasika - will also open their bids on Monday while the world No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead the women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, will be joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Meanwhile, even though Alex de Minaur is not in action in any of the final pre-Wimbledon grass-court events after his early exit at Queen's Club, seven SW19-bound Australians will feature in the final warm-up tournaments this week. James Duckworth beat British wildcard Johannus Monday 6-4 6-2 and Aleksandar Vukic downed American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-3 to book their places in the Eastbourne International men's main draw. Kim Birrell also made it to the traditional seaside event, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2 6-3 in Eastbourne qualifying, to join the country's top pair, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, in the women's event. Ajla Tomljanovic, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Germany's Eva Lys, who retired when 6-4 3-2 down, to make it into the Bad Homburg WTA main draw. But the Aussie result of the day was achieved by a man who won't be heading to Wimbledon -- the enigmatic 32-year-old Bernie Tomic who reached the main draw of the Mallorca ATP event by defeating US world No.77 Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 for his first win over a top-100 player in more than two years. Remarkably, now down at 243 in the rankings, Tomic booked his place in a tour-level event for the first time since he qualified for the 2021 Australian Open, and he'll face compatriot Rinky Hijikata in Monday's first round. Tristan Schoolkate, Australia's lone tournament winner of the grass-court season, will lead a 16-strong green-and-gold contingent seeking Wimbledon places -- and lucrative pay packets -- this week. With 13 Australians - eight man and five women - already guaranteed in the main draw next week, recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate will spearhead the challenge to join them in the cut-throat qualifying tournament at nearby Roehampton. Players will have to come through three qualifying matches at the venue 5km from the All England Club to nail down one of the coveted 16 places in each of the singles draws a week on Monday. Making the main draw will guarantee each qualifier at least a Stg 66,000 ($A137,000) pay-out even if he or she loses in the first round. Schoolkate, who earned the biggest win of his burgeoning career at the picturesque Challenger event in Ilkley that likes to dub itself the 'Wimbledon of the North', has moved to 102 in the rankings and seeks a maiden appearance at the grass-court slam. The 24-year-old, who's second seed for the qualifying event, opens on Monday against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta. Last year, Alex Bolt had just 10 minutes notice as an alternate that he would be a late replacement in the qualifying draw and went on to surprise everyone, not least himself, by going on to battle into the main draw. This year, somewhat better prepared, the 32-year-old Murray Bridge veteran will face Frenchman Harold Mayot first up, hoping to make the main draw for a fourth time. Four other Aussie men - Li Tu, Jason Kubler, James McCabe and Omar Jasika - will also open their bids on Monday while the world No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead the women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, will be joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Meanwhile, even though Alex de Minaur is not in action in any of the final pre-Wimbledon grass-court events after his early exit at Queen's Club, seven SW19-bound Australians will feature in the final warm-up tournaments this week. James Duckworth beat British wildcard Johannus Monday 6-4 6-2 and Aleksandar Vukic downed American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-3 to book their places in the Eastbourne International men's main draw. Kim Birrell also made it to the traditional seaside event, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2 6-3 in Eastbourne qualifying, to join the country's top pair, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, in the women's event. Ajla Tomljanovic, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Germany's Eva Lys, who retired when 6-4 3-2 down, to make it into the Bad Homburg WTA main draw. But the Aussie result of the day was achieved by a man who won't be heading to Wimbledon -- the enigmatic 32-year-old Bernie Tomic who reached the main draw of the Mallorca ATP event by defeating US world No.77 Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 for his first win over a top-100 player in more than two years. Remarkably, now down at 243 in the rankings, Tomic booked his place in a tour-level event for the first time since he qualified for the 2021 Australian Open, and he'll face compatriot Rinky Hijikata in Monday's first round. Tristan Schoolkate, Australia's lone tournament winner of the grass-court season, will lead a 16-strong green-and-gold contingent seeking Wimbledon places -- and lucrative pay packets -- this week. With 13 Australians - eight man and five women - already guaranteed in the main draw next week, recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate will spearhead the challenge to join them in the cut-throat qualifying tournament at nearby Roehampton. Players will have to come through three qualifying matches at the venue 5km from the All England Club to nail down one of the coveted 16 places in each of the singles draws a week on Monday. Making the main draw will guarantee each qualifier at least a Stg 66,000 ($A137,000) pay-out even if he or she loses in the first round. Schoolkate, who earned the biggest win of his burgeoning career at the picturesque Challenger event in Ilkley that likes to dub itself the 'Wimbledon of the North', has moved to 102 in the rankings and seeks a maiden appearance at the grass-court slam. The 24-year-old, who's second seed for the qualifying event, opens on Monday against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta. Last year, Alex Bolt had just 10 minutes notice as an alternate that he would be a late replacement in the qualifying draw and went on to surprise everyone, not least himself, by going on to battle into the main draw. This year, somewhat better prepared, the 32-year-old Murray Bridge veteran will face Frenchman Harold Mayot first up, hoping to make the main draw for a fourth time. Four other Aussie men - Li Tu, Jason Kubler, James McCabe and Omar Jasika - will also open their bids on Monday while the world No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead the women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, will be joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Meanwhile, even though Alex de Minaur is not in action in any of the final pre-Wimbledon grass-court events after his early exit at Queen's Club, seven SW19-bound Australians will feature in the final warm-up tournaments this week. James Duckworth beat British wildcard Johannus Monday 6-4 6-2 and Aleksandar Vukic downed American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-3 to book their places in the Eastbourne International men's main draw. Kim Birrell also made it to the traditional seaside event, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2 6-3 in Eastbourne qualifying, to join the country's top pair, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, in the women's event. Ajla Tomljanovic, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Germany's Eva Lys, who retired when 6-4 3-2 down, to make it into the Bad Homburg WTA main draw. But the Aussie result of the day was achieved by a man who won't be heading to Wimbledon -- the enigmatic 32-year-old Bernie Tomic who reached the main draw of the Mallorca ATP event by defeating US world No.77 Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 for his first win over a top-100 player in more than two years. Remarkably, now down at 243 in the rankings, Tomic booked his place in a tour-level event for the first time since he qualified for the 2021 Australian Open, and he'll face compatriot Rinky Hijikata in Monday's first round.
Perth Now
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussie army of 16 seek golden tickets for Wimbledon
Tristan Schoolkate, Australia's lone tournament winner of the grass-court season, will lead a 16-strong green-and-gold contingent seeking Wimbledon places -- and lucrative pay packets -- this week. With 13 Australians - eight man and five women - already guaranteed in the main draw next week, recent Ilkley Trophy winner Schoolkate will spearhead the challenge to join them in the cut-throat qualifying tournament at nearby Roehampton. Players will have to come through three qualifying matches at the venue 5km from the All England Club to nail down one of the coveted 16 places in each of the singles draws a week on Monday. Making the main draw will guarantee each qualifier at least a Stg 66,000 ($A137,000) pay-out even if he or she loses in the first round. Schoolkate, who earned the biggest win of his burgeoning career at the picturesque Challenger event in Ilkley that likes to dub itself the 'Wimbledon of the North', has moved to 102 in the rankings and seeks a maiden appearance at the grass-court slam. The 24-year-old, who's second seed for the qualifying event, opens on Monday against Argentine world No.198 Facundo Diaz Acosta. Last year, Alex Bolt had just 10 minutes notice as an alternate that he would be a late replacement in the qualifying draw and went on to surprise everyone, not least himself, by going on to battle into the main draw. This year, somewhat better prepared, the 32-year-old Murray Bridge veteran will face Frenchman Harold Mayot first up, hoping to make the main draw for a fourth time. Four other Aussie men - Li Tu, Jason Kubler, James McCabe and Omar Jasika - will also open their bids on Monday while the world No.1 junior Emerson Jones will lead the women's qualifying challenge that begins on Tuesday. Jones, who reached the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior finals last year, will be joined in the draw by Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Destanee Aiava, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera, Arina Rodionova and Taylah Preston. Meanwhile, even though Alex de Minaur is not in action in any of the final pre-Wimbledon grass-court events after his early exit at Queen's Club, seven SW19-bound Australians will feature in the final warm-up tournaments this week. James Duckworth beat British wildcard Johannus Monday 6-4 6-2 and Aleksandar Vukic downed American Jenson Brooksby 7-5 6-3 to book their places in the Eastbourne International men's main draw. Kim Birrell also made it to the traditional seaside event, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2 6-3 in Eastbourne qualifying, to join the country's top pair, Daria Kasatkina and Maya Joint, in the women's event. Ajla Tomljanovic, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, beat Germany's Eva Lys, who retired when 6-4 3-2 down, to make it into the Bad Homburg WTA main draw. But the Aussie result of the day was achieved by a man who won't be heading to Wimbledon -- the enigmatic 32-year-old Bernie Tomic who reached the main draw of the Mallorca ATP event by defeating US world No.77 Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 for his first win over a top-100 player in more than two years. Remarkably, now down at 243 in the rankings, Tomic booked his place in a tour-level event for the first time since he qualified for the 2021 Australian Open, and he'll face compatriot Rinky Hijikata in Monday's first round.
Perth Now
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Grass success builds Wimbledon hopes
The grass court season has begun with a bang for Australian Tristan Schoolkate, who seized the title at a Wimbledon warm-up event as countrymen Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson tasted immediate success in their first tournament together. Schoolkate, 24, won his first grass-court tournament, taking out the Ilkley Trophy in Yorkshire, a grass-court Challenger event, which moved the West Australian towards the edge of the game's top 100 with his win on Sunday. He'll jump to 106 in the rankings but will still have to go through Wimbledon qualifying to earn a spot in the main draw. He won't be at the Queen's Club with fellow Aussies Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Aleksandar Vukic and Alex Bolt, but Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson will be fresh off tasking immediate success on grass in the Netherlands. Olympic gold medallist Ebden linked up with Thompson to take out the ATP 250 grass-court title in 's-Hertogenbosch in their first tournament as a pairing. Ebden is a Wimbledon doubles champion (2022) and Thompson a finalist (2024) – both results achieved alongside banned countryman Max Purcell – giving renewed hope of big things when they get to Queen's Club. 'It was a great week,' Thompson told 'For me, I had a tough one in singles. Second round, and I lost two match points, but it was a great opportunity for me to get back out on the doubles court. 'Playing with Matt, we gel well together. We play Davis Cup together, so it's enjoyable to play with each other. Hopefully, it's building for next week at Queen's.' Ebden described the result as 'awesome' as a first outing. 'Especially playing out there with a fellow Aussie, we've shared a lot together over the years, and in Davis Cup particularly,' said Ebden, who also won the Australian Open 2024 doubles crown with Rohan Bopanna. 'To bring that on the tour and make a great start here with a title, we couldn't ask for more.'
