The first round of qualifying for the Australian Open wrapped up on Tuesday, showcasing a mixed bag of results for French players. Ugo Blanchet encountered a challenging matchup against Coleman Wong, who had recently secured two significant victories in Hong Kong. Blanchet struggled to gain momentum throughout the match, ultimately falling 6-3, 7-6, without creating any break point opportunities.
Harold Mayot also faced an uphill battle against seasoned competitor Jason Kubler. The Metz native found himself broken early in each set and, despite having a single break point in the match, was unable to capitalize, losing 6-3, 6-4.
Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg’s journey came to a close as well, with a defeat against Tomas Barrios Vera, ending in a score of 6-2, 7-6.
However, there were bright spots for the French contingent. Hugo Grenier advanced to the next round after his opponent, Daniel Galan, retired from the match. Additionally, Arthur Gea emerged victorious against Zdenek Kolar, winning decisively at 6-2, 6-3.
Looking ahead, both Grenier and Gea will next take on Mackenzie McDonald and Roman Burruchaga, respectively, providing them with a chance to continue their pursuit to secure a spot in the main draw of the prestigious tournament. Despite the early exits of several players, the success of Grenier and Gea keeps hope alive for the French team as they aim for further advancement in Melbourne.