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Wildcards Gibson, McCabe lead Aussie charge at the Open

3 minute read

Young wildcards Talia Gibson, James McCabe and Tristan Schoolkate are among a raft of local winners on day two of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

Ajla Tomljanovic.
Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

Destanee Aiava and exciting young wildcards Talia Gibson and James McCabe have broken through for their maiden wins at a grand slam on a banner day for the home hopes at the Australian Open.

Gibson responded to the rampant crowd support to recover from a set and a service break down to upset Turkey's higher-ranked Zeynep Sonmez 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 and become the first local through to the second round at Melbourne Park.

Shooting for the lines, Gibson opened up after scraping through the second-set tiebreaker and was rewarded for her courage with the most significant win of her fledgling career.

"The Aussie crowds are always so amazing. You're always able to get so much energy from them wherever you are," the 20-year-old Gibson said.

"That definitely played a huge part in helping me today. It's super exciting."

The world No.150 will pocket a minimum $200,000 for setting up a shot at Spanish 11th seed Paula Badosa on Wednesday.

McCabe also wowed a legion of fervent fans on Court 6 - including rugby league and union dual international Sonny Bill Williams - with a rousing 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory over Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce.

The Filipino-born 21-year-old couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he signed autographs and posed for selfies following his watershed win.

His reward, as well as a financial windfall, is a meeting with unseeded American Alex Michelsen, who dumped world No.11 Stefanos Tsitsipas from the tournament.

Aiava advanced with her first win at a grand slam on her sixth attempt, beating Belgium's Greet Minnen 5-7 7-5 7-6 (10-5).

The 24-year-old qualifier trailed 5-2 in the second set but rallied and rattled off five straight games, saving two match points, to send the match to a decider.

Men's wildcard Tristan Schoolkate joined the party, downing Japan's Taro Daniel 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 6-4 in his Open main-draw debut.

Veterans James Duckworth, Ajla Tomljanovic, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Aleksandar Vukic also progressed.

Duckworth thumped Swiss Dominic Stricker 6-2 6-4 6-2 to book a date with Spaniard Roberto Carbelles Baena, while Tomljanovic notched a fighting three-set win over exciting young American Ashlyn Krueger.

Also playing on a wildcard after falling out of the world's top 100 while battling a knee injury for much of the past two years, Tomljanovic prevailed 6-4 4-6 6-4.

The three-time grand slam quarter-finalist next faces 12th seed Dianna Schnaider on Wednesday, needing to upset the Russian to make the last 32 at Melbourne Park for the first time in 10 attempts.

World No.27 Jordan Thompson endured a few late jitters before closing out German Dominik Koepfer, franking his first-time grand slam seeding with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 4-6 6-3 triumph.

Vukic fought back from two sets to one down to claim a 6-7 (3-7) 6-0 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, while Thanasi Kokkinakis shook off a slow start and a thigh issue in a gutsy 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-5) win over Russia's Roman Safiullin.

His doubles partner Nick Kyrgios was also hampered by an apparent injury, crashing to a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 7-6 (7-2) loss to Scottish world No.86 Jacob Fearnley in his long-awaited grand slam comeback.

Wildcard Maya Joint also bowed out with a 6-3 6-0 loss to seventh seed Jessica Pegula while Chris O'Connell lost a marathon that ended after midnight, with American Tommy Paul triumphant 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-7 (7-5) 7-5.

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