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A new season begins, and all the players who will be involved on some level at the Australian Open – whether in qualifying or the main draw – are in action this week.
All except for Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe, who won’t play in Auckland because of an injury to Routliffe carrying over from last season. That means she can’t play the big event in her adopted homeland.
There are almost no other events on the ITF circuit this week; that circuit ended pretty late in December and will restart in earnest in January.
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United Cup
Perth, Australia (ATP/WTA 500)
R1 – CAN 2, CRO 1 (Saturday)
Leylah Fernandez (CAN) def. Donna Vekic (CRO) 64 63
Borna Coric (CRO) def. Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 06 64 64
Leylah Fernandez / Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) def. Ivan Dodig / Lucija Ciric Bagaric (CRO) 63 64
R2– CAN 1, USA 2 (Sunday)
Coco Gauff (USA) def Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 63 62
Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) def Taylor Fritz (USA) 46 75 63
Taylor Fritz / Coco Gauff (USA) def def Félix Auger-Aliassime / Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 76 (2) 75
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ASB Classic
Auckland, NZ (WTA 250)
Singles
Rebecca Marino
1st rd: def [4] Lulu Sun (NZL) 63 36 63
2nd rd: lost to Bernarda Pera (USA) 76 (2) 64
Doubles
Rebecca Marino / Tara Moore (GBR)
1st rd: def. [1] Sofia Kenin (USA) / Elise Mertens (BEL) [ALT] Julia Grabher (AUT) / Laura Pigossi (BRA) 63 63
QF: lost to Sloane Stephens (USA) / Clara Tauson (DEN) 64 36 [10-7]
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Hong Kong Tennis Classic
Hong Kong, China (ATP 250)
Singles
Denis Shapovalov
1st rd: lost to [WC] Kei Nishikori (JPN) 62 63
[Q] Gabriel Diallo
1st rd: def Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 46 76 (4) 75
2nd rd: lost to [2] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 64 63
Doubles
Denis Shapovalov / Juncheng Shang (CHN)
[ALT] Gabriel Diallo / Francesco Passaro (ITA)
1st rd: lost to [3] Skander Mansouri (TUN) / Joran Vliegen (BEL) 63 76 (4)
Singles qualifying
[2] Gabriel Diallo
1st rd: def [WC] Ki Lung Ng (HKG) 76 (2) 62
Final rd: def. [8] Hugo Grenier (FRA) 46 61 75
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Brisbane International
Brisbane, Australia (ATP 250)
Singles
[6] Alejandro Tabilo (CHI)
1st rd: lost to [Q] Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 67 (8) 76 (5) 64
Doubles
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) / Alex Michelsen (USA)
1st rd: lost to James Duckworth / Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 63 62
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Workday Canberra International
Canberra, Australia (WTA 125 / ATP Challenger)
Women’s singles
[6] Marina Stakusic
1st rd: def. Antonia Ruzic (CRO) 06 76 (1) 61
2nd rd: lost to [WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) 46 63 61
Men’s singles
[Q] Alexis Galarneau
1st rd: def [4] Taro Daniel (JPN) 76 (2) 62
2nd rd:; lost to Christopher Eubanks (USA) 64 64
Women’s doubles
Marina Stakusic / Elsa Jacquemot (FRA)
1st rd: def Alexandra Eala (PHI) / Sayaka Ishii (JPN) [ALT] Giorgia Pedone (ITA) / Solana Sierra (ARG) 76 (5) 75
QF: lost to [2] Veronika Erjavec (SLO) / Dominika Salkova (CZE) 46 61 [10-6]
Men’s qualifying singles
Alexis Galarneau
1st rd: def. [3] Radu Albot (MDA) 62 63
Final rd: def [12] Brandon Holt (USA) 63 67 (1) 63
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Bangkok Open
Bangkok, Thailand (ATP Challenger)
Doubles
Kelsey Stevenson / Gonzalo Oliveira (VEN)
1st rd: lost to Zdenek Kolar (CZE) / Neil Oberleitner (AUT) 61 63
I’m glad to see Shapo playing doubles. I haven’t kept track or anything, but it seems like both he & Felix play better Singles when they play Doubles.
Any insight on if we’ll see Milos play on tour in 2025?
Doubtful. But I haven’t had a chance to ask him. Time is a precious commodity.