Hunter survives first-round doubles scare at Australian Open 2024

Storm Hunter and Czech partner Katerina Siniakova are through to the second round in the Australian Open 2024 women's doubles competition.


Tuesday 16 January 2024
Leigh Rogers
Melbourne, Australia
Australia's Storm Hunter reacts on a match point against Italy's Sara Errani during their women's singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 15, 2024. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by MARTIN KEEP/AFP via Getty Images)

World No.1 Storm Hunter and her new doubles partner, Czech Katerina Siniakova, were tested in their opening-round match at Australian Open 2024.

The third seeds managed to notch a 7-5 7-5 victory against Colombia's Camila Osorio and Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva, however it was far from smooth sailing.

The 29-year-old Hunter and 27-year-old Siniakova had to recover from a 1-4 deficit in the opening set and then from 0-3 in the second set.

Hunter is teaming up with world No.13 Siniakova for just the third time and for the first time since recording a runner-up finish at last year's Adelaide International.

In other women's doubles action, Taylah Preston and Arina Rodionova combined to win an all-Aussie battle against Kaylah McPhee and Astra Sharma.

The 18-year-old Preston and 34-year-old Rodionova recorded a 7-6(4) 7-6(0) win.

This is Preston's first Grand Slam victory.

Aleksandar Vukic also scored a milestone first win of his own in a Grand Slam doubles draw.

The 27-year-old teamed with Portugal's Nuno Borges to edge out a hard-fought 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(7) victory against Ecuador's Gonzalo Escobar and Kazakhstan's Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the opening round of the men's doubles competition.

Aussies in action - Australian Open

TODAY'S RESULTS
Women's doubles, first round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) d Camila Osorio (COL)/Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 7-5 7-5
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS)/Arina Rodionova (AUS) d [WC] Kaylah McPhee (AUS)/Astra Sharma (AUS) 7-6(4) 7-6(0)

Men's doubles, first round
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)/Nuno Borges (POR) d Gonzalo Escobar (ECU)/Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(7)

COMING UP
Women's doubles, first round
[7] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Wu Fang-Hsien (TPE)/Zhu Lin (CHN)
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Olivia Gadecki (AUS) v Varvara Gracheva (FRA)/Sabrina Santamaria (USA)
[WC] Daria Saville (AUS)/Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO)/Maia Lumsden (GBR)
[WC] Talia Gibson (AUS)/Priscilla Hon (AUS) v Linda Noskova (CZE)/Wang Xiyu (CHN)
[WC] Destanee Aiava (AUS)/Maddison Inglis (AUS) v Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA)/Martina Trevisan (ITA)

Women's doubles, second round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v TBC
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS)/Arina Rodionova (AUS) v Ekaterina Alexandrova/Anna Kalinskaya

> VIEW: Australian Open 2024 women's doubles draw

Men's doubles, first round
[2] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [WC] James Duckworth (AUS)/Marc Polmans (AUS)
[16] Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v Chris O'Connell (AUS)/Laslo Djere (SRB)
John Peers (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v [WC] Alex Bolt (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS)
Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Alexander Erler (AUT)/Lucas Miedler (AUT)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)/Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER)
[WC] Tristan Schoolkate (AUS)/Adam Walton (AUS) v Francisco Cabral (POR)/Henry Patten (GBR)
[WC] John Millman (AUS)/Edward Winter (AUS) v Marcus Daniell (NZL)/Marcelo Demoliner (BRA)
[WC] Blake Ellis (AUS)/Andrew Harris (AUS) v Andre Goransson (SWE)/Albano Olivetti (FRA)
[WC] James McCabe (AUS)/Dane Sweeny (AUS) v [7] Hugo Nys (MON)/Jan Zielinksi (POL)

Men's doubles, second round
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS)/Nuno Borges (POR) v [6] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG)/Andreas Molteni (ARG)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2024 men's doubles draw

Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!