London, Great Britain, 6 July 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Max Purcell has made a winning start in his Wimbledon gentlemen’s doubles title defence.

The 25-year-old Australian teamed with compatriot Jordan Thompson to score a 7-5 6-4 victory against American combination John Isner and Jack Sock in the opening round.

Sock is a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion and a former world No.2, while the big-serving Isner achieved a career-high doubles ranking of world No.14 last season.

But Purcell and Thompson produced a near-perfect performance, not facing a break point in the one-hour and 27-minute encounter.

World No.56 Purcell, who won the 2022 title alongside Matt Ebden, is now on a seven-match winning streak in doubles at the tournament.

John Peers and Brazilian partner Marcelo Melo also advanced to the second round, after surviving a three-set test against Robin Haase from the Netherlands and Austria’s Philipp Oswald.

Peers and Melo, the No.16 seeds, recorded a 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 victory.

In ladies’ doubles action, Ellen Perez and American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez suffered a shock first-round loss.

The fourth seeds, who were quarterfinalists at the All England Club last year, had won 12 of their past 16 matches at Grand Slam level.

However, Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova and China’s Yang Zhaoxuan had their measure, posting a 6-4 7-6(7) win against world No.6 Melichar-Martinez and world No.9 Perez.

Aussies in action – Wimbledon

RESULTS
Gentlemen’s doubles, first round
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) d [WC] John Isner (USA)/Jack Sock (USA) 7-5 6-4
[16] John Peers (AUS)/Marcelo Melo (BRA) d Robin Haase (NED)/Philipp Oswald (AUT) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4

Ladies’ doubles, first round
Ekaterina Alexandrova/Yang Zhaoxuan (CHN) d [4] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) 6-4 7-6(7)

COMING UP
Gentlemen’s doubles, first round
[6] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Guillermo Duran (ARG)/Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG)
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v [Alt] Marco Cecchinato (ITA)/Thiago Monteiro (BRA)
Chris O’Connell (AUS)/Laslo Djere (SRB) v [12] Sander Gille (BEL)/Joran Vliegen (BEL)
Luke Saville (AUS)/Alexander Bublik (KAZ) v [2] Ivan Dodig (CRO)/Austin Krajicek (USA)

Gentlemen’s doubles, second round
[16] John Peers (AUS)/Marcelo Melo (BRA) v TBC
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [14] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG)/Andres Molteni (ARG)

> VIEW: Wimbledon 2023 gentlemen’s doubles draw

Ladies’ doubles, first round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Elise Mertens (BEL) v Nadiia Kichenok (UKR)/Alicja Rosolska (POL)
Daria Saville (AUS)/Kateryna Baindl (UKR) v Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)/Mayar Sherif (EGY)

> VIEW: Wimbledon 2023 ladies’ doubles draw

Mixed doubles, first round
[5] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Ellen Perez (AUS) v Hugo Nys (MON)/Laura Siegemund (GER)
John Peers (AUS)/Storm Hunter (AUS) v [WC] Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Katie Boulter (GBR)

> VIEW: Wimbledon 2023 mixed doubles draw

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