Melbourne is known for its unpredictable wind and it blew both ways for Australian tennis fans on Tuesday. Torturous, late-night losses suffered by Daria Kasatkina and Kimberly Birrell came about 12 hours after Maya Joint’s straight-sets defeat, ending the Australian Open ambitions of the three highest ranked local female players.
As the sun comes up on Wednesday morning, however, the country will have six women in the second round, the most at a grand slam since eight progressed at Melbourne Park in 1992. The last to secure their berth was qualifier Maddison Inglis, who defeated compatriot Birrell 7-6 (6), 6-7 (9), 6-4 in an all-Australian clash that lasted three hours and finished after midnight.
Inglis broke down at the match’s conclusion, overcome with emotion after beating her close friend. “The last few days have been a bit stressful,” she said. “I absolutely adore her [Birrell] so it was really hard to see her on the other side, but I’m stoked I could play through those feelings and be in the second round. It means the world.”
Kasatkina knew she should have been there too, after she failed to convert two set points in the first, and then let qualifier Nikola Bartunkova off the hook early in the decider. The world No 126 from the Czech Republic secured the victory 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-3 in a topsy-turvy contest.
The 28-year-old former Russian – who passed her Australian citizenship test last week – was left furious with herself, at one point smashing her racket into the Kia Arena surface as the match slipped away. “It’s the small details which I’m missing, just the things which you’re getting playing a lot of matches,” Kasatkina said.
Having contested only four tour matches since October after a break, she said she took fluids to address cramp late in the match. “It’s stress plus waiting around for about 12 hours,” she said. “You are in this state of mind which consumes a lot of energy.”
Earlier, Dane Sweeny and James Duckworth increased the count of Australian men in the second round to five. Duckworth outlasted Croatian lucky loser Dino Prizmic in five sets by winning the last two. Sweeny, 24, shared a compelling meeting of opposites which also marked the final appearance at Melbourne Park for French veteran Gaël Monfils.
The Australian dropped to the ground in elation after defeating the 39-year-old from France 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5, lifting himself up to meet an embrace from his taller opponent.
Monfils has announced 2026 will be his final year on tour and he spent the latter stages of the near four-hour contest bent double between points. It was a stark contrast to the effervescent Australian who has been likened to Lleyton Hewitt but has struggled to carve out a place on the tour.
“It’s been my whole life since I can remember,” the 24-year-old Sweeny said of the efforts to persevere in the sport. “I feel like I’m watching a show, it feels pretty unbelievable to be in this position.”
Monfils was presented with a gift from the tournament director, Craig Tiley, to celebrate a 20th appearance at the Australian Open. Addressing the crowd after a standing ovation, the winner of 13 tour titles acknowledged his connection to Melbourne Park, where he has made the quarter-finals twice.
“For me, my journey starts in 2003 with you guys. I came here for the first time, now we are 2026 and somehow this is the finish line,” he said, before offering his best to the man who ended it. “This kid’s got heart, so I really wish you good luck for the next one.”
Before leaving the court, Sweeny wrote on the lens of the camera: “This too shall pass.” Explaining afterwards, he said: “The only constant in life is change really, and this is a big moment, it’s exciting, but it will come back down.” He meets the eighth seed, Ben Shelton, in the second round.
