Australia’s tennis players Thanasi Kokkinakis, Max Purcell, and Jordan Thompson have successfully qualified for the main draw of the ATP 1000 Cincinnati Masters. In a hard-fought match, Kokkinakis, ranked 86th in the world, defeated Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia with a score of 5-7, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2. As a result, he will face world No.17 Hubert Hurkacz from Poland in the first round.
Purcell, ranked 78th, caused an upset by defeating his countryman Alexei Popyrin, who is ranked 56th, with a score of 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-4. Purcell will now play against South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, who is currently ranked 188th.
Thompson, ranked 55th and seeded fourth in the qualifying draw, secured a first-round meeting with American veteran John Isner by defeating Marc-Andrea Huesler of Switzerland with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Isner, standing at an impressive 208cm and 38 years old, received a wildcard entry to the tournament.
Completing the Australian contingent, world No. 12 Alex de Minaur will play against American JJ Wolf in the opening round.
In other first-round matches, US player Frances Tiafoe, seeded 10th, defeated Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4. American Ben Shelton defeated Christopher Eubanks, also from the US, with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Shelton will now face fourth-seeded Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 32.
Adrian Mannarino of France eliminated his compatriot Richard Gasquet with a score of 6-4, 6-3, while Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka advanced by defeating Gregoire Barrere of France with a score of 6-4, 7-5.
The Cincinnati Masters is an important tournament as players prepare for the upcoming US Open at Flushing Meadows in two weeks' time.
