Four Australians reach second round of 2023 French Open

Thanasi Kokkinakis (YouTube)

The first two days of the first round of the 2023 French Open are now complete. Four Australians have been victorious in singles action to date. In men’s singles, on Sunday, Jason Kubler of Brisbane defeated Facundo Diaz Acosta of Argentina 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, while Thanasi Kokkinakis of Adelaide upset the 20th seed Daniel Evans of Great Britain 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. In women’s singles on Sunday, Storm Sanders of Rockhampton beat Nuria Parrizas-Diaz of Spain 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Then in men’s singles on Monday, Alex de Minaur of Sydney beat Ilya Ivashka of Belarus, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.

In all three men’s matches where Australians won, they outaced their opponents. Kubler had five aces, while Diaz Acosta had three. Kokkinakis had 10 aces, while Evans had three. De Minaur had six aces, while Ivashka had two. Sanders meanwhile had three fewer double faults than her opponent, as she only had one, while Parrizas-Diaz had four.

On Tuesday, two more Australians are in action on the men’s side. It just so happens they will play against each other. Max Purcell will play Jordan Thompson. Both Thompson and Purcell are from Sydney.

Kokkinakis is one of six unseeded players so far to knockout a seeded player in the men’s draw. Other unseeded players to deliver a first round win are Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who beat the 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; 2023 Australian Open quarterfinalist Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, who beat the 21st seed and Madrid Masters finalist Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, 7-5, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Argentinian qualifier Thiago Tirante, who beat 25th ranked Botic Van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, who beat 30th ranked Ben Shelton of the United States, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; and 2020 French Open semifinalist beat the 32nd seed Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain, 1-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-0, 6-4.

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