NOS Sport••Amended
Arantxa Rus and Guy den Ouden failed to reach the main draw of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season. Both Dutchmen lost in the first round of the qualifying tournament.
Russian lost to Australian Olivia Gadecki in straight sets: 2-6, 4-6. Den Ouden had to admit his superior in the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert: 6-3, 3-6, 2-6.
Over the past two years, Rus has been in the main tournament in Melbourne. In 2024 she reached the second round, last year she failed in the first round. The 23-year-old Den Ouden has never advanced beyond the first qualifying round for a Grand Slam tournament.
Russian higher in world rankings
On Monday, Russian competed in the qualifying tournament against home player Gadecki, who is 72 places lower in the world rankings. Russian is number 132 in the world, Gadecki occupies place 204.
But those proportions were reversed on the Australian hard court. In the first set the score was tied at 2-2, but Rus then gave up her serve twice.
She then immediately lost her first serve of the second set. She broke back immediately, but then again failed to maintain her own service game. After the third game the breaks were over, Gadecki decided the match on his own serve.
Den Ouden (ATP-158) also did not get through the first qualifying round. He started strongly against Herbert, who is four places higher in the world rankings, and only needed one break to win the first set.
The second set followed the same course, but this time the only break of the set was for Herbert, which led to a decisive third set. Den Ouden immediately surrendered his service and later received a break. Herbert had some difficulty on his own serve, but still struck on the fourth match point.
Koevermans and Vedder in action on Tuesday
Anouk Koevermans and Eva Vedder will also play in the qualifying tournament. They will play their first round match on Tuesday.
The main draw of the Australian Open will be held from January 18 to February 1. Tallon Greekpoor, Botic van de Zandschulp, Jesper de Jong and Suzan Lamens have been admitted directly.
