Three Australian’s featured on the winners list to end a significant day four of The Championships with Alex de Minaur, Jason Kubler and Chris O’Connell all emerging victorious.
For de Minaur, the new day brought with it further challenges as he locked himself in a tight battle with Belgium qualifier Kimmer Coppejans.
Coppejans matched de Minaur in the opening set to snatch it via a tie break 7-6(5) with de Minaur restricted to playing his natural game and left feeling irritated before fighting back on day three to take the following two sets.
When play began this afternoon, de Minaur was again tested by Coppejans who forced the fourth set to a tie break before the Aussie skipped clear, winning the match 6(5)-7, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(2).
After playing his round one match over three days due to weather disruptions, Chris O’Connell was able to stamp his authority over young 19-year-old Serbian Hamad Medjedovic in four sets.
The Aussie began well taking the opening two sets with rain delays halting play several times.
“We started on day two and only played two sets, so it was really strange having to regroup after each delay,” he said.
However, Serbia’s Medjedovic found some strength on day four taking the third set against the Aussie before O’Connell produced some class to edge away in the fourth set to take the match 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
For O’Connell, it is his first ever win on the hallowed grounds at SW19 with the 29-year-old describing the relief he felt at the conclusion of the match.
“I haven’t had a win here before and I haven’t had a win in a grand slam for a little bit now so it was more relief,” he said.
“It felt like the first time winning a grand slam match again.”
Jason Kubler also recorded a win in five sets, joining de Minaur and O’Connell in the second round.
Ugo Humbert provided an awkward matchup for the Aussie who began well, with Kubler taking the opening set 6-4.
Humbert held his nerve in the second set however, taking it 6-4. Kubler was never far away from the Frenchman and ended day three with the third set and momentum to build on for the continuation of play.
Play on day four saw Humbert pushing Kubler again before the Aussie found an additional gear to win the match in the fifth 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
“I was obviously very pumped up and very focused from that start and really had a lot of energy,” he said.
“I’m just very happy to be through to the second round.”
Meanwhile, Aleksander Vukic was beaten by Quentin Halys in straight sets with the Frenchman showing greater poise to book a spot into the third round against Jannik Sinner.
Alex de Minaur will tomorrow have a fight on his hand in the second round Matteo Berrettini to face the Australian. Chris O’Connell will play unseeded Czech Jiri Vesely with Jason Kubler to play 25th seed Nicolas Jarry.
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