Hunter and de Minaur star on strong Day 2 for Aussie contingent at Melbourne Park

Storm Hunter earned one of the best wins of her career. (Getty/William West)

As has been the theme of the summer this year, Storm Hunter and Alex de Minaur emerged as Australia’s brightest hopes on what was a largely successful day for the Aussies, with six wins and three losses, including a heartbreaker for Alexei Popyrin, who lost in a fifth-set tiebreak to Alexandre Müller.

Hunter kicked off the day with a straight sets 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro, fighting back from a break down in both sets to take the win over her tricky opponent, who scored a win over Coco Gauff in the United Cup earlier this month.

"It means everything to be winning singles matches here in Melbourne. I feel like I have had a very up-and-down career, a lot of injuries in my career from when I was 18," said Hunter.

"When I made the third round in 2024, I finally felt like that was my time. I was sitting at career-high ranking, really thought I was going to crack the top 100. Then obviously with my Achilles, that was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever gone through in my life, missing Olympics, missing the chance.

"To come back from an Achilles rupture, I don't know anyone who has done it in tennis. We didn't have any, I guess, plans, return-to-play plans to go through, so it was kind of a let's see how we go.

"I'm really lucky that I had really good people around me to help me with my rehab to get back. Even when I did come back, I definitely felt like I was not at the level that I was at previously, and that took me six months to kind of feel like, okay, let's try and get better on a singles court.

"I really truly didn't think I'd be able to be moving how I'm moving in these matches here in Melbourne, and that's why I felt so much joy, because, you don't know when you're going to get the chance to play on these courts again in front of big crowds."

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De Minaur then secured a comprehensive 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lucky Loser Mackenzie McDonald, who posed little challenge for the sixth seed, who received a slice of luck when Matteo Berrettini pulled out of the draw.

"It was a tricky opponent, and I navigated my way through and did what I needed to do. Yeah, overall happy with the performance and ready for the next challenge," said De Minaur.

Ajla Tomjlanovic then battled past Yuliia Starodubtseva, prevailing 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1 in a marathon match, which was all the more special given that she had to retire from her match in Adelaide only a week earlier.

"I'm really happy to be through. That was incredibly tough. I played her last year in I think Beijing," she said.

"I kind of knew what I needed to do coming in. I thought she played a lot better. I feel like I had to really kind of lift my game, just fight really hard, which I did. I was really fortunate to snag the second set and get a really good start in the third. Really, really relieved because I really wanted to win that one."

Rinky Hijikata put in a statement performance to take down the wily French veteran Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 to set up a showdown with Monégasque Valentin Vacherot, whom he has known since his college days.

"We've played twice. He actually ended my college career. I played him in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament. If I remember right, he got me one in the third. We played in Orlando," Hijikata recalled.

"We played a month later, actually at Tunisia at a 15K final. I got him back there. I don't know what it was, but I got him back in the final, so we're one-all."

Priscilla Hon also fought hard against Canadian Marina Stakusic, eventually getting the win as Stakusic retired with severe cramp, having to be wheeled off court at the end of the match.

Jordan Thompson was also a winner, taking a four-set win over Juan-Manuel Cerúndolo.

Alexei Popyrin lost in a heartbreaker to Alexandre Müller, serving for the match in both the fourth and fifth sets. Muller harnessed the energy of the pro-Aussie John Cain Arena crowd and took advantage of some cramping from Popyrin at the end of the match to seal the win.

"Disappointment. Yeah, obviously not happy. Felt like I was in control nearly all the match. Couldn't close it out. That's about it," a deflated Popyrin said.

Aleksandar Vukic also went down to Thiago Augstin Tirante, while 17th seed Victoria Mboko sealed a dominant victory over Aussie young-gun Emerson Jones.

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