Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2022 | Leigh Rogers

Australian duo Jaimee Fourlis and Jason Kubler recorded their career-first Grand Slam mixed doubles win in sensational fashion today at Australian Open 2022.

The Aussie wildcards eliminated world No.1-ranked Croatian Mate Pavic and his Serbian partner Nina Stojanovic in a thrilling 3-6 6-3 [17-15] first-round victory at Melbourne Park.

The 22-year-old Fourlis and 28-year-old Kubler needed eight match points to close out the 95-minute battle and bravely saved two match points in the process.

They’ll now face fellow Aussies Sam Stosur and Matt Ebden in the second round. The AO 2021 finalists posted a 6-2 7-6(3) victory against American Asia Muhammad and France’s Fabrice Martin today.

John Peers and Chinese partner Zhang Shuai also got off to a winning start, with the second seeds defeating Slovenian Andreja Klepac and Belgian Joran Vliegen 6-1 6-4.

Today’s results weren’t all positive, however, with several Australians knocked out of the draw.

Storm Sanders and Brit Neal Skupski lost to eighth-seeded Japanese duo Ena Shibahara and Ben McLachlan, while AO 2019 finalists Astra Sharma and John-Patrick Smith exited against Czech Lucie Hradecka and Ecuador’s Gonzalo Escobar.

Australian Open 2022

TODAY’S RESULTS
Mixed doubles, first round
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) d [7] Nina Stojanovic (SRB)/Mate Pavic (CRO) 3-6 6-3 [17-15]
[WC] Sam Stosur (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) d Asia Muhammad (USA)/Fabrice Martin (FRA) 6-2 7-6(3)
[2] Zhang Shuai (CHN)/John Peers (AUS) d Andreja Klepac (SLO)/Joran Vliegen (BEL) 6-1 6-4
[8] Ena Shibahara (JPN)/Ben McLachlan (JPN) d Storm Sanders (AUS)/Neal Skupski (GBR) 6-3 7-6(8)
Lucie Hradecka (CZE)/Gonzalo Escobar (ECA) d [WC] Astra Sharma (AUS)/John-Patrick Smith (AUS) 6-3 6-4

COMING UP
Mixed doubles, second round
[2] Zhang Shuai (CHN)/John Peers (AUS) v Bernarda Pera (USA)/Wesley Koolhof (NED)
[WC] Arina Rodionova (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS) v [5] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)/Ivan Dodig (CRO)
[WC] Sam Stosur (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) v [WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS)
[WC] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Matwe Middelkoop (NED) v Sania Mirza (IND)/Rajeev Ram (USA)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 mixed doubles draw

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