Tomic falls in mixed day for Aussie US Open qualifiers
Murray Wenzel |
Bernard Tomic’s US Open main draw tilt has been derailed on a day of mixed fortunes for Australia’s bulging qualifying contingent at Flushing Meadows.
The former world No.17, chasing his first main draw appearance in New York in nine years, was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 by the in-form Henrique Roca in the second round on Friday (AEST).
Tomic, who in the last two years has risen about 300 ranking places to No.167 in the world, had arrived in good form and eased through his first-round assignment on Wednesday.
A full house on court 11 were left disappointed though when the mercurial 32-year-old fell away sharply after losing a tight first set to the 21-year-old, world No.166 from Portugal.
Still, if Tomic’s Challenger Tour form holds up, he will earn an automatic qualifying berth for next year’s Australian Open, or potentially gain direct entry if he can sneak back inside the world’s top-100 for the first time in eight years.
Tomic wasn’t alone in his struggles with Astra Sharma, James McCabe, Olivia Gadecki, Lizette Cabrera and Maddison Inglis all falling at the second hurdle.
But the big-hitting Destanee Aiava, Priscilla Hon and Jason Kubler are all through to the final round, while McCabe was pipped by countryman James Duckworth in a tense 7-5 5-7 7-6 (10-5) battle.
And former world junior No.1 Emerson Jones made it five Australians into the third round when she dispatched Brazil’s Laura Pigossi 6-4 6-4 in 90 minutes.
Jones, still just 17, reached the same stage of Wimbledon qualifying and is bidding for her first major main-draw appearance outside of Australia.
She’ll play Andorra’s world No.132 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva for that chance.
AAP
