By Tony Fairbairn & Ros Satar
- All Brits were out in singles by the end of the first week at the Australian Open, but how did they start the season in general
- Results from the Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles
- Alfie Hewett won the Men’s Wheelchair Singles title and the Doubles title with Gordon Reid
- Ranah Stoiber reached the Girls’ semi-final
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Andy Murray was the last Brit in singles to exit the tournament at the end of the first week of the Australian Open but how did the Brits start the season in general?
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It wasn’t to be for the British players in the singles at the Australian Open as they all went out in the first week of the tournament. However there are plenty of positives and other successes, with plenty of things to improve with the first few weeks of the season over and done with. Now the Australian Open is done for the British contingent, let’s look at the performances and Brits over the first few weeks and where they go from here heading into the next few months.
Men’s Singles
Cameron Norrie [11]
It has been a very good start to the season for Cameron Norrie having beaten the likes of Rafael Nadal and Taylor Fritz at the United Cup which was followed by reaching the final in Auckland. However Norrie would have been disappointed with not reaching the second week in Melbourne, which he is still yet to achieve and will look to improve having more control over matches ahead of Indian Wells.
2023 Results So Far:
United Cup:
- Round Robin: Alex De Minaur: 6-3 6-3
- Round Robin: Rafael Nadal: 3-6 6-3 6-4
- Quarter-Finals: Taylor Fritz: 6-4 5-7 6-4
ATP Auckland:
- R2: Jiri Lehecka: 6-4 6-7(4) 6-3
- QF: Marcos Giron: 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2
- SF: Jenson Brooksby: 6-3 6-4
- Final: Richard Gasquet: 6-4 4-6 4-6
Australian Open:
- R1: Luca Van Assche: 7-6(3) 6-0 6-3
- R2: Constant Lestienne: 6-3 3-6 7-6(2) 6-3
- R3: Jiri Lehecka: 7-6(8) 3-6 6-3 1-6 4-6
Dan Evans [25]
It’s been a shaky start to the season for Dan Evans with the Brit struggling with illness in the build-up to this season. However the two wins at the Australian Open are encouraging signs that Evans’ best tennis is around the corner as he looks to gradually improve his performances as the season goes on. The one thing Evans will look to work on is his second serve as that has been something that has been targeted in the early stages of the season.
2023 Results So Far:
United Cup:
- Round Robin: Jason Kubler: 3-6 6-7(3)
- Round Robin: Albert Ramos-Vinolas: 6-3 1-6 6-3
- Quarter-Finals: Frances Tiafoe: 6-3 5-7 3-6
Adelaide 2:
- R1: Mackenzie McDonald: 5-7 5-7
Australian Open:
- R1: Facundo Bagnis: 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-4
- R2: Jeremy Chardy: 6-4 6-4 6-1
- R3: Andrey Rublev: 4-6 2-6 3-6
Jack Draper
A very encouraging start to the season for Jack Draper with some very good performances including in Adelaide where he reached the semi-finals. A positive showing against Rafael Nadal in Melbourne is also a sign of where the Brit’s confidence and potential is at with still so much to improve on. Draper will now look to get to work with his new fitness trainer as he looks to improve his stamina ahead of Roland Garros in May.
2023 Results So Far:
Adelaide 1:
- R1: Soonwoo Kwon: 6-2 6-1
- R2: Karen Khachanov: 4-6 2-6
Adelaide 2:
- R1: Lorenzo Sonego: 6-4 6-2
- R2: Tommy Paul: 6-4 6-4
- QF: Karen Khachanov: 6-4 7-6(3)
- SF: Soonwoo Kwon: 6-7(6) 7-6(3) 3-6
Australian Open:
- R1: Rafael Nadal: 5-7 6-2 4-6 1-6
Andy Murray
After a poor result in Adelaide, Andy Murray showed that all the work he did in the off-season around his fitness and conditioning paid off as he played 14 hours of tennis at the Australian Open. Murray will now look to be more aggressive and shorten the points more as he looks to recover ahead of the indoor hard courts in Europe and then the US hard court season.
2023 Results So Far:
Adelaide 1:
- R1: Sebastian Korda: 6-7(3) 3-6
Australian Open:
- R1: Matteo Berrettini: 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-7(7) 7-6(10-6)
- R2: Thanasi Kokkinakis: 4-6 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 6-3 7-5
- R3: Roberto Bautista Agut: 1-6 7-6(7) 3-6 4-6
Kyle Edmund [PR]
Some positive moments for Kyle Edmund with the Brit gradually playing better with each tournament but ultimately tennis on the tour is coming too soon in his comeback. Edmund needs to play challengers to get his fitness and confidence up as he looks to gain wins over the next few months.
2023 Results So Far:
Adelaide:
- R1: Jannik Sinner: 3-6 2-6
Adelaide 2:
- R1: Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6 5-7
Australian Open:
- R1: Jannik Sinner: 4-6 0-6 2-6
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Women’s Singles
Harriet Dart
There were moments of inspired play during the United Cup for Harriet Dart, winning the first round robin match impressively, and taking a set off Spain’s Paula Badosa, but it was a sound beating in the quarter-fnals to the in-form Jessica Pegula.
After a competitive start in her first round match at the Australian Open, things tailed off pretty badly.
2023 Results So Far:
United Cup:
- Round Robin: Maddison Inglis 6-4 6-4
- Round Robin: Paula Badosa 7-6(6) 6-7(5) 1-6
- Quarter-finals: Jessica Pegula 2-6 0-6
Australian Open:
- R1: Jil Teichmann 5-7 1-6
Emma Raducanu
British No. 1 Emma Raducanu had a tough start to the year when a freak ankle injury at Auckland almost put her Australian Open participation in jeopardy. Up until that point she had looked in good form. She was not really troubled by Tamara Korpatch in the opening round of the Australian Open, bringing about a much anticipated clash with Coco Gauff. Although things were pcking up for Raducanu with a more competitive second set, she just fell short.
Auckland:
- R1: Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6 6-4 6-2
- R2: Viktoria Kudermetova 6-0 5-7 RET
Australian Open:
- R1: Tamara Korpatsch 6-3 6-2
- R2: Coco Gauff 3-6 6-7(4)
Doubles, Wheelchair and Junior results
Men’s Doubles
The best performances came from the top Brits and their partners, with world number three Neal Skupski getting the furthest. New pairing of Jamie Murray and Michael Venus and the more established pairing of Lloyd Glasspool with his Finnish partner Haari Heliovaara started the season well reaching the Auckland final (Glasspool and Heliovaara winning the title.
There has to be a special mention of new doubles kids on the block, Julian Cash and Henry Patten, capitalising on their great run of Challenger titles last year.
QF: Wesley Koolhof/NEAL SKUPSKI
R3: Rajeev Ram/JOE SALISBURY
R2: JAMIE MURRAY/Michael Venus
R2: LLOYD GLASSPOOL/Haari Heliovaara
R2: JULIAN CASH/HENRY PATTEN
Women’s Doubles
It was not quite as good a story on the women’s side. Established pairing of Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholls stood out during the British Billie Jean King Cup performances, but failed to get through the opening round together with scratch pairing of Danielle Collins and Heather Watson.
R1: Danielle Collins/HEATHER WATSON
R1: ALICIA BARNETT/OLIVIA NICHOLLS
Mixed Doubles
SF: Desirae Krawczyk/NEAL SKUPSKI
QF: Taylor Townsend/JAMIE MURRAY
Girls’ Singles
Ranah Stoiber went one place further than her appearance at the US Open last year, this time reaching the semi-finals.
SF: Ranah Stoiber
R1: Ella McDonald
Girls’ Doubles
QF: ELLA MCDONALD/Luca Udvardy
R2: Nikola DaubnerovaRANAH STOIBER
Men’s Wheelchair Singles
It was an emotional win for Alfie Hewett who won his first Australian Open singles title after two successive losses, and the emotion was clear for all to see. He has now won 23 major titles across the singles and doubles.
Title: Alfie Hewett
QF: Gordon Reid
R1: Ben Bartram
Women’s Wheelchair Singles
R1: Lucy Shuker
Men’s Wheelchair Doubles
Title: Alfie Hewett/Gordon Reid
R1: BEN BARTRAM/Tokito Oda
Women’s Wheelchair Doubles
SF: Dana Mathewson/LUCY SHUKER
Quad Wheelchair Singles
QF: Andy Lapthorne
Quad Wheelchair Doubles
SF: ANDY LAPTHORNE/David Wagner
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