The Australian Open 2025 has begun with a remarkable milestone for British tennis, as six players advanced to the second round. The opening round delivered intense matches and standout performances from the British contingent.
Jack Draper, the British No. 1 and 15th seed, faced Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a demanding five-set encounter. Despite 88 unforced errors and trailing two sets to one, Draper demonstrated remarkable endurance to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The match, lasting over four hours, marked the longest of his career. Draper continued his strong start by defeating Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis in another five-set thriller in the second round, securing a 6-7(3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 win amidst a challenging atmosphere with a partisan crowd.
In her first-round match, Emma Raducanu, ranked 60th globally, faced 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Despite serving challenges, including 15 double faults, Raducanu secured a straight-sets victory with two tiebreaks, 7-6(4), 7-6(2). This marked her first progression beyond the opening round at the Australian Open, having been eliminated in the second round in the previous three years.
British No. 1 Katie Boulter, seeded 22nd, fought a three-set battle against Canada’s Rebecca Marino. Boulter clinched the first set 6-4, but Marino responded to take the second set 6-3. In a tightly contested final set, Boulter’s resilience secured a 7-5 victory, contributing to the historic achievement of six British players reaching the second round.
Jacob Fearnley, making his Grand Slam main draw debut, caused a significant upset by defeating Australia’s Nick Kyrgios in straight sets, 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(2). Despite facing a vocal home crowd, the 23-year-old Scot displayed remarkable composure to secure his memorable victory.
Jodie Burrage achieved her first Australian Open main draw victory by defeating France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-2, 6-4. This win marked a significant milestone, especially after her 2024 debut, where she lost in the first round to Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch despite taking the opening set.
Harriet Dart, who entered the tournament as a lucky loser, showcased her trademark grit in a three-set match against Croatia’s Jana Fett. She emerged victorious with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(7) win, demonstrating grit in the final set tiebreak to secure her progression.
The Australian Open runs from 12th to 26th January, promising more exciting matches as players continue to compete for the title in Melbourne. You can follow all the action for free on ‘The Love of Tennis’. It’s available to download on Apple / Android: https://app.theloveoftennis.co.uk
