Andrew Whittington’s bid to reach his first Australian Open singles main draw has got off to a shaky start after he battled past world No.326 Max Purcell 6-3,6-3,4-6,3-6,6-2, in the first round.
The Melbourne event features 16 Australian players in both the men’s and women’s section with the winner being awarded a wildcard for the first grand slam of 2017. Top seed Whittington, who is currently at a career ranking high of 170th, struggled with ‘chest illness’ throughout his opening match under the unforgiving sun in Melbourne.
“By the fifth set you’re mentally and physically feeling it of course – you’ve just got to try and stay as strong as possible, back yourself. (Know) you’ve done the work,” Whittington told tennis.com.au.
“And I think that showed in the end in the fifth set for me.”
Claiming a career-best six Futures titles this season, Whittington will play John-Patrick Smith in the second round. Smith, who peaked at 108th in the Emirates rankings in September 2015, recovered from a first set scare to defeat Maverick Banes 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.
Former top 40 player Marinko Matosevic has become the highest seed to crash out of the tournament after squandering a two-set lead against Omar Jasika. Seeded third in the tournament, Matosevic crashed out 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, to the 19-year-old. At this year’s Australian Open Jasika defeated Illya Marchenko to win his maiden main draw match in a grand slam tournament on the pro tour.
“I was thinking – this is it. Don’t know what to really do from here,” Jasika recounted about the third set.
“Then I saw he was starting to get a bit fatigued, so I thought maybe it was starting to get a little hot for him – maybe if I stick in, try and get this game and break back, maybe (get) this set.
“I got momentum, and it really helped me in the third and the fourth set as well, and definitely in the fifth.”
Jasika first rose to prominence at the 2014 US open when he defeated France’s Quentin Halys in the boys’ final. Since then, the Australian has endured a slow transition to the pro tour. Claiming two Futures titles in 2015, Jasika peaked at a high of 256th in August 2015.
Elsewhere at the tournament, second seed Sam Groth battled his way past Dayne Kelly 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-7(3), 6-4, 10-8. Groth will next play Christopher O’Connell, who defeated this year’s Wimbledon Boys’ runner-up Alex de Minaur in straight sets. Finally, fourth seed Marc Polmans dropped just six games during his 6-2, 6-4, 6-0, dismissal of Scott Jones.
The women’s draw will get underway on Tuesday.
