Preston scores major breakthrough with first top-50 win at San Diego

Perth teen Taylah Preston has recorded her first tour-level main-draw win at a WTA 500 tournament in America.


Wednesday 28 February 2024
Leigh Rogers
San Diego, USA
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 27: Taylah Preston of Australia reacts after a point against Magdalena Frech of Poland during day two of the Cymbiotika San Diego Open at Barnes Tennis Center on February 27, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
San Diego, USA

Taylah Preston is proving she is a star on the rise at a WTA 500 tournament in San Diego.

The 18-year-old from Perth scored a milestone first tour-level victory today, fighting past Poland's Magdalena Frech 6-4 4-6 6-1 in the opening round.

Preston, a wildcard entry, took two hours and four minutes to beat world No.42 Frech, who advanced to the Australian Open fourth round last month.

This is Preston's second career top-100 win and first against a top-50 player.

It continues an impressive run of form for Preston, who progressed to the biggest singles final of her career at a WTA 125 tournament in Mexico last week. This propelled Preston to a career-high ranking of world No.153.

Preston's second-round opponent is world No.34 Marta Kostyuk.

Aussies in action - San Diego

RESULTS
Women's singles, first round
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS)
d Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-4 4-6 6-1

COMING UP
Women's singles, second round
[Q] Daria Saville (AUS) v Tatjana Maria (GER)
[WC] Taylah Preston (AUS) v [6] Marta Kostyuk (UKR)

Women's doubles, first round
[2] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v Miriam Kolodziejova (CZE)/Katarzyna Piter (POL)
[3] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Donna Vekic (CRO)/Zhu Lin (CHN)

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Chris O'Connell has charged into the second round at an ATP 500 tournament in Dubai.

The 29-year-old Australian did not face a break point in his 6-2 6-4 dismissal of German qualifier Maximilian Marterer in the opening round.

World No.68 O'Connell conceded only 10 points in total across his service games in the 76-minute encounter.

This sets up a second-round showdown with world No.8 Hubert Hurkacz.

In doubles action, Matt Ebden scored his first win as world No.1.

The 36-year-old Australian teamed with India's Rohan Bopanna to scrap past Tunisian Skander Mansouri and Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 7-6(4) 7-6(5) in the opening round.

> READ: Ebden reflects on rise to world No.1 - "It's a little bit surreal"

Aussies in action - Dubai

RESULTS
Men's singles, first round
Chris O'Connell (AUS) d [Q] Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-2 6-4

Men's doubles, first round
[1] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) d [WC] Skander Mansouri (TUN)/Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) 7-6(4) 7-6(5)
[2] Ivan Dodig (CRO)/Austin Krajicek (USA) d [LL] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) 7-6(2) 7-6(4)

COMING UP
Men's singles, second round
Chris O'Connell (AUS) v [3] Hubert Hurkacz (POL)

Men's doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Ariel Behar (URU)/Adam Pavlasek (CZE)

Acapulco, Mexico

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson have bowed out in the opening round of an ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco.

The 25-year-old Purcell tested world No.16 Frances Tiafoe early, before succumbing in three sets.

Meanwhile, Thompson's winning run after clinching his maiden ATP title at Los Cabos last week came to an end against American qualifier Aleksander Kovacevic.

Aussies in action - Acapulco

RESULTS
Men's singles, first round
[8] Frances Tiafoe (USA) d Max Purcell (AUS) 4-6 6-3 6-0
[Q] Aleksander Kovacevic (USA) d Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3 5-7 6-4

COMING UP
Men's singles, second round
[3] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Sebastian Ofner (AUT)

Men's doubles, quarterfinals
John Peers (AUS)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN) v Julian Cash (GBR)/Robert Galloway (USA)

Austin, USA

Olivia Gadecki proved no match for former world No.7 Danielle Collins in the opening round at a WTA 250 tournament in Austin.

Collins, the Australian Open 2022 finalist, scored a 7-5 6-3 victory against the 21-year-old Aussie qualifier.

Gadecki's attention now turns to doubles, where she has progressed to the quarterfinals alongside Brit Olivia Nicholls.

Aussies in action - Austin

RESULTS
Women's singles, first round
[3] Danielle Collins (USA) d [Q] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) 7-5 6-3

COMING UP
Women's doubles, first round
[WC] Maya Joint (AUS)/Sabina Zeynalova (UKR) v Elixane Lechemia (FRA)/Anna Siskova (CZE)

Women's doubles, quarterfinals
Olivia Gadecki (AUS)/Olivia Nicholls (GBR) v TBC

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