Seoul, Korea, 10 October 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Seoul, Korea

Kimberly Birrell’s quest to finish a career-best season inside the world’s top 100 has been given a boost, after scoring an opening-round win at a WTA 250 tournament in Seoul.

The 25-year-old Australian scored a 6-4 6-4 victory against American qualifier Sachia Vickery at the hard-court tournament.

This is world No.102 Birrell’s sixth WTA-level main-draw win of the year and sets up a second-round showdown against local wildcard Dayeon Back.

Back, a 21-year-old ranked No.569, upset world No.13 Jelena Ostapenko in the opening round.

> READ: Birrell reflects on stunning 2023 resurgence

Aussies in action – Seoul

RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) d [Q] Sachia Vickery (USA) 6-4 6-4

Women’s doubles, first round
[WC] Ji-hee Choi (KOR)/Sohyun Park (KOR) d Olivia Tjandramulia (AUS)/Arianne Hartono (NED) 7-5 4-6 [10-6]

COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v [WC] Dayeon Back (KOR)

Women’s doubles, first round
Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Emina Bektas (USA) v Na Lae Han (KOR)/Su Jeong Jang (KOR)

Hong Kong

The resurgent Daria Saville continues to impress in her comeback from knee surgery, qualifying for a WTA 250 tournament at Hong Kong this week.

The 29-year-old Australian edged out a 4-6 7-5 6-3 victory against Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic in the final qualifying round.

Saville, who has now won 11 of her past 18 matches, will face third-seeded Belgian Elise Mertens in the opening round.

> READ: Saville’s ranking on the rise

Priscilla Hon is already through to the second round, after beating local wildcard Eudice Chang 7-5 7-5.

This is 25-year-old Hon’s first main-draw win at tour-level since beating world No.17 Petra Kvitova at the Adelaide International in January 2022.

Aussies in action – Hong Kong

RESULTS
Women’s qualifying singles, final round
[5] Daria Saville (AUS) d [3] Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) 4-6 7-5 6-3

Women’s singles, first round
Priscilla Hon (AUS) d [WC] Eudice Chong (HKG) 7-5 7-5

COMING UP
Women’s singles, first round
[Q] Daria Saville (AUS) v [3] Elise Mertens (BEL)

Women’s singles, second round
Priscilla Hon (AUS) v [5] Anna Blinkova

Women’s doubles, first round
Priscilla Hon (AUS)/Yang Ya Yi (TPE) v Hsieh Yu-Chieh (TPE)/Ekaterina Yashina

> READ: Saville, Birrell named in Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup team

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