Gabriel Diallo and Liam Draxl were ousted in tough opening-round matches at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Alexander Zverev ended his four-match losing skid against Canadians at majors by beating Diallo 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, his previous win came against Peter Polansky in the 2018 US Open first round.
Diallo had the perfect start to his second Australian Open main-draw appearance, dominating in the tiebreak to take the first set, but Zverev was most efficient for the remainder of the match. The German converted on five of seven break points and dropped just six points on serve throughout the final three sets.
In the early stages, Diallo’s serve proved too hot to handle under the Melbourne heat. Zverev failed to return eight of the Montrealer’s opening nine serves, cruising to the back-to-back holds.
At 1-2, the 6-foot-8 Canuck chased down everything the world No. 3 threw at him, running down a dropshot at love-15 then, after a quick shoe change at 15-30, hitting a backhand passing shot from just past the tramlines to set himself up with double break point. Diallo’s perfectly placed return earned him the break on the first attempt, going out in front 3-1.
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What looked to be more smooth sailing on serve, the won Canadian won seven of his next eight service points en route to a 4-2, 40-love, lead. However, Zverev settled into the match, winning nine-straight points and levelling the opener at 4-4.
In the eventual tiebreak, some more superb court coverage led the world No. 41 to a commanding 5-0 advantage. Then, at 6-1, not even another broken shoe could prevent Diallo from sealing the opener as he played through the wardrobe malfunction to take the set.
The deficit, however, might have fueled Zverev, starting the second with back-to-back breaks and jumping to a 4-0 lead. Last year’s Australian Open finalist then held the rest of the way, firing two aces in the process as he evened the match in half an hour.
In the third, Zverev continued his surge. The 28-year-old didn’t concede a point on his delivery through his first three service games, capped off by a break in the seventh game. Zverev closed the set at 5-4, 40-15, with his 12th ace of the contest as he inched closer to round two.
Diallo’s window was slowly shutting after he suffered his fifth loss of serve in the first game of the fourth. The former Kentucky Wildcat did find his rhythm with a couple of gritty holds, but Zverev quickly got the opportunity to serve out the match. At 2-4, 15-40, the German’s return painted the singles line for the break before he secured his spot into his tenth-straight second round in Melbourne with a comfortable final hold.
Draxl's Australian Open Debut Ends with Loss to Dzumhur
Draxl’s first taste of a Grand Slam main draw was a sour one as the Canadian was eliminated by Damir Dzumhur 7-5, 6-0, 6-4 in the Australian Open first round on Sunday.
The 24-year-old from Newmarket was hit with 12 break points in the contest and was broken five times, including a string of four-straight that powered Dzumhur to a two-set lead. Draxl took a medical timeout after the second and still managed to make a late push in the third, but it wasn’t enough as he dropped ten of the last 11 points to concede the match in over two hours.
The flurry of break opportunities began with Draxl in the first set, holding three break points in the second game that he was unable to convert on. Instead, it was Dzumhur who broke first in the ensuing game, but Draxl managed to break back to keep things level at 2-2.
The Canadian No. 4 added two more break points to his tally later in the set, however, Dzumhur was able to fend off the pressure. At 5-5, the Bosnian broke in a crucial spot to get the chance to serve out the opener, which the 33-year-old did thanks to a comfortable love hold.
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The veteran put his experience on display in the second, securing back-to-back breaks to take an assertive 3-0 lead. At 4-0, Dzumhur won eight consecutive points and wrapped up the set in just over 20 minutes.
Unfazed, Draxl cruised through his opening three service games of the third, dropping just a single point while firing three aces.
Despite the strong spell on serve, the Canadian faced the set’s first break point at 3-3, 30-40, losing serve after sending his forehand long for one of his 41 unforced errors of the match. The two players then traded breaks, which led to Dzumhur serving for a place in the second round. At 5-4, 40-love, the world No. 66 went on the attack and played spoiler in Draxl’s maiden Grand Slam main-draw appearance.
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Two Canadian men remain in the singles draw, with both playing Sunday night. Félix Auger-Aliassime kicks off the action against Nuno Borges, while Denis Shapovalov faces wildcard Yunchaokete Bu into the early hours of Monday morning.
Victoria Mboko and Marina Stakusic will also begin play Sunday night as the Ontarians make their Australian Open debuts against local favourites Emerson Jones and Priscilla Hon, respectively.
The Davis Cup returns to Canada in February as Canada hosts Brazil in the Qualifiers First Round in Vancouver, Feb. 6-7 at UBC's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Tickets are on sale. Get yours now!
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
