Ajla Tomljanovic beat in-form clay-courter Mayar Sherif at the WTA event in Palermo, setting up a second-round clash with fellow Aussie Astra Sharma.
Palermo, Italy, 17 July 2024 | Matt Trollope
Palermo, Italy
Resurgent Australian Ajla Tomljanovic is finding form on clay at just the right time ahead of her Paris 2024 Olympics campaign.
The 31-year-old opened with a win at the WTA 250 event in Palermo, beating Mayar Sherif from a set down.
Tomljanovic’s 3-6 7-5 6-3 victory sets up a second-round meeting with countrywoman Astra Sharma, who a day earlier eased past Anna Blinkova into the last 16.
Sherif has been one of the game’s form players on clay in 2024, reaching the WTA Rabat final just prior to Roland Garros, as well as another four WTA 125K finals.
She was 24-10 on the surface ahead of her match against Tomljanovic.
But Tomljanovic proved up to the task, transitioning well from grass – where she thrived in the Wimbledon lead-up – to clay and winning her ninth match from her past 12 outings.
She will take on Sharma for the first time, bidding for a place in her first tour-level quarterfinal on clay since Rabat in May 2022.
Aussies in action – Palermo
RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) d Mayar Sherif (EGY) 3-6 7-5 6-3
[4] Diane Parry (FRA) d [Q] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) 4-6 6-4 6-4
COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v Astra Sharma (AUS)
Women’s doubles, first round
Lucia Bronzetti (ITA)/Olivia Gadecki (AUS) v Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers (ESP)/Aurora Zantedeschi (ITA)
Budapest, Hungary
Like Tomljanovic, Ellen Perez is showing encouraging signs on clay ahead of the Olympics, winning her opening-round doubles match with Timea Babos.
Perez and Babos, the top seeds, defeated local wildcards Panna Bartha and Amarissa Toth in their first match together as a team.
In the quarterfinals they will meet Chinese combination Tang Qianhui and Wang Xiyu.
Perez, who has played predominantly in 2024 with American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez, improves to 30-16 in doubles this season.
Aussies in action – Budapest
RESULTS
Women’s doubles, first round
[1] Timea Babos (HUN)/Ellen Perez (AUS) d Panna Bartha (HUN)/Amarissa Toth (HUN) 6-1 1-6 [10-5]
COMING UP
Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Timea Babos (HUN)/Ellen Perez (AUS) v Tang Qianhui (CHN)/Wang Xiyu (CHN)
Newport, USA
Alex Bolt has continued his magnificent form on grass by reaching the second round of the long-running Hall of Fame Open in Rhode Island.
The Australian qualifier outplayed Czech Jakub Mensik 6-2 6-4 to join compatriot Aleksandar Vukic in the last 16.
Bolt has won three consecutive matches in Newport, plus 11 of his past 14 grass-court matches since the beginning of June. He is a sparkling 21-3 overall on grass this year.
This is the fifth time Bolt has qualified for the ATP 250 event, but the first time he has won a main-draw match.
He next faces Brandon Nakashima, who recently reached the third round at Wimbledon.
Aussies in action – Newport
RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[Q] Alex Bolt (AUS) d Jakub Mensik (CZE) 6-2 6-4
Mackenzie McDonald (USA) d [8] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 4-6 7-6(4) 6-2
Ethan Quinn (USA) d [Q] Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-3 6-7(3) 6-1
[WC] Eliot Spizzirri (USA) d [Q] Li Tu (AUS) 6-1 7-6(4)
Men’s doubles, first round
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) d [8] Rithvik Bollipalli (IND)/Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) 6-1 6-4
Mackenzie McDonald (USA)/Alex Michelsen (USA) d [4] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/William Blumberg (USA) 6-4 4-6 [10-3]
COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
[6] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [WC] Eliot Spizzirri (USA)
[Q] Alex Bolt (AUS) v [5] Brandon Nakashima (USA)
Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) v [2] Julian Cash (GBR)/Robert Galloway (USA)
Men’s doubles, first round
[3] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Diego Hidalgo (ECU) v [WC] Robert Cash (USA)/James Tracy (USA)
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