Newport, USA, 12 July 2021 | Leigh Rogers

Newport, USA

The grass-court season continues for four Australians competing at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport this week.

Alex Bolt is the top seed in qualifying at the ATP 250 grass-court event and has continued his impressive form, scoring an opening-round win. The 28-year-old, who made the second round at Wimbledon, is hoping to qualify and join compatriot Jordan Thompson in the singles main draw.

The ATP 250 tournament is the final grass-court event on the tour calendar for the season. Australia has a proud record at this tournament, with former champions including Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis.

Hewitt was meant to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame this week, with the ceremony held during this tournament. However, he has delayed his induction to next year due to COVID travel restrictions making it difficult for his family to attend.

Two Australians – Judy Dalton (nee Tegart) and Kerry Reid (nee Melville) – will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame as part of the trail-blazing Original Nine.

> READ: Dalton, Reid to be given International Tennis Hall of Fame honour

Aussies in action – Newport

RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, first round
[1] Alex Bolt (AUS) d [WC] William Blumberg (USA) 7-6(5) 7-6(1)

COMING UP
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
[1] Alex Bolt (AUS) v [WC] Ryan Harrison (USA)

Men’s singles, first round
[7] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER)

Men’s doubles, first round
[3] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA)
[4] Matt Reid (AUS)/Luke Bambridge (GBR) v Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK)/Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND)
Jordan Thompson (AUS)/Joao Sousa (POR) v Sadio Doumia (FRA)/Fabien Reboul (FRA)

Hamburg, Germany

Chris O’Connell has lost in the final qualifying round at an ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg. Slovakian Alex Molcan scored a three-set victory against O’Connell to earn a main draw spot at the clay-court tournament.

Aussies in action – Hamburg

RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
[9] Alex Molcan (SVK) d [5] Chris O’Connell (AUS) 6-3 5-7 6-3

Bastad, Sweden

John Millman is the fourth seed at an ATP 250 tournament in Bastad this week. The world No.43 receives an opening-round bye at the clay-court event.

Aussies in action – Bastad

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
[4] John Millman (AUS) v Bye

Prague, Czech Republic

Four Australians are competing at a WTA 250 tournament on hard court in Prague this week.

Storm Sanders has been handed a tough draw, pitted against fourth seed and local hope Marie Bouzkova in the opening round.

Lizette Cabrera, Maddison Inglis and Sam Stosur also feature in both singles and doubles draws.

Aussies in action – Prague

COMING UP
Women’s singles, first round
Storm Sanders (AUS) v [4] Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
Lizette Cabrera (AUS) v [Q] Asia Muhammad (USA)
Maddison Inglis (AUS) v Tereza Smitkova (CZE)
[WC] Sam Stosur (AUS) v Grace Min (USA)

Women’s doubles, first round
[2] Storm Sanders (AUS)/Asia Muhammad (USA) v Sam Stosur (AUS)/Jodie Burrage (GBR)
Lizette Cabrera (AUS)/Maddison Inglis (AUS) v [1] Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK)/Nina Stojanovic (SRB)

Lausanne, Switzerland

Australia’s Astra Sharma is the top seed in qualifying at a WTA 250 tournament in Lausanne.

Sharma enters the clay-court tournament with momentum, having progressed to a WTA doubles final in Hamburg last week. It was the 25-year-old’s third tour-level doubles final.

Aussies in action – Lausanne

COMING UP
Women’s qualifying singles, first round
[1] Astra Sharma (AUS) v Valentyna Ivakhnecko (RUS)