Maddison Inglis has extended her fairytale run at the Australian Open, securing a dramatic and hard-fought victory over the fiery veteran Laura Siegemund on Thursday. This win provided a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing day for Australian players, with Taylah Preston, Rinky Hijikata, and Dane Sweeny all exiting the tournament.
A Rollercoaster Clash of Epic Proportions
Inglis, ranked world No.168 and considered the underdog, stunned her German opponent in a thrilling encounter that lasted just under three and a half hours. The final scoreline read 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-6(7), reflecting the intense back-and-forth nature of the match. As a qualifier, Inglis is now the sole Australian woman remaining in the draw, having fought back from a break down in the decisive final set to clinch a miraculous win.
Controversy and Drama on Court
The match was not short on controversy, particularly in the second set. Inglis recovered from a 2-5 deficit as Siegemund lost her composure, receiving a code violation for taking too long to serve. The tension escalated when Siegemund, serving at 15-15 and 5-5, was warned by the umpire for delaying her serve, a tactic she had been pushing throughout the match.
Two points later, at 15-40, Siegemund fired an ace while Inglis was not ready. The Aussie stood perplexed, leading the umpire to order a replay. "There's going to be drama here," commentator Catherine Whitaker noted on Nine's coverage. Siegemund approached the chair umpire to argue, but her complaints were dismissed. "If I don't serve you give me a missed serve, if I do serve you say she wasn't ready," Siegemund protested. Whitaker added, "she knows what she's doing, and she is constantly making her opponent wait by not being ready."
A Thrilling Finale and Historic Achievement
Inglis capitalised on the break and served for the match, but Siegemund immediately broke back to force a tiebreaker. The German dominated the tiebreaker with precise groundstrokes, levelling the match. She carried that momentum into the final set, breaking Inglis immediately. However, just as Siegemund seemed poised for victory, Inglis broke back when the German served for the match.
Both players held serve to send the match into a super tiebreaker. Under immense pressure, Inglis rose to the occasion, unleashing a series of powerful returns to take control. She earned four match points at 9-5 and sealed the victory on her third attempt. This win marks her fifth at Melbourne Park, following her qualification and a marathon first-round victory over close friend Kimberly Birrell.
Other Australian Exits and Silver Linings
Meanwhile, Taylah Preston defied her world No.161 ranking to nearly pull off a massive upset against 13th seed Linda Noskova. After being outplayed in the first set, Preston fought back brilliantly but ran out of steam in the decider, with Noskova securing a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory. The 20-year-old Preston leaves Melbourne Park on a high note, having achieved her first grand slam win in the first round.
"She played well above her ranking," Sam Smith said on Nine. "We didn't expect to have such a competitive match, given the disparity in their rankings and the experience difference." Although Preston bows out in the second round, she will depart with a substantial $225,000 pay cheque, a significant milestone in her young career.
As the Australian Open continues, all eyes will be on Maddison Inglis as she carries the hopes of the nation forward in her dream run.
