A historic milestone was achieved as six Australian players secured main-draw spots at the US Open 2024, setting unprecedented records. Among the qualifiers are Destanee Aiava, Arina Rodionova, Maya Joint, Kimberly Birrell, Priscilla Hon, and Li Tu, bringing the total number of Australian players in the singles main draws to 20, with 12 men and eight women representing the nation.
Historic Achievements for Australian Women
For the first time, five Australian women have successfully navigated the rigorous qualifying rounds to earn their place in the main draw. This achievement triples the previous record and marks the first instance in over a decade that Australia has had qualifiers in both the men’s and women’s events at Flushing Meadows.
Veteran and Emerging Talent Shine
Arina Rodionova, the veteran of the group, ranked world No. 118, secured her first US Open qualification with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew. At 34, Rodionova leads this distinguished cohort.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Maya Joint delivered a remarkable 6-2, 6-1 win against world No. 106 Hailey Baptiste, marking her Grand Slam debut. Kimberly Birrell, 26, who narrowly missed qualifying last year, claimed her spot with a solid 6-3, 6-3 win against 15-year-old American wildcard Julieta Pareja.
Dominant Performances and Grueling Battles
Destanee Aiava, ranked world No. 180, decisively defeated Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-3, 6-2 in just 69 minutes, securing her third straight-sets victory of the week. Priscilla Hon, 26, delivered a stunning upset against top seed Kamilla Rakhimova with a 7-6(4), 6-7(2), 6-4 win in a grueling two-hour and 47-minute match, marking her most significant Grand Slam victory since the Australian Open 2020.
Li Tu’s Resilience in a Thrilling Final
Li Tu, 28, from Adelaide, completed the successful qualifiers by overcoming sixth-seeded Jesper de Jong from the Netherlands. In a thrilling final-round match, Tu saved two match points before securing a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory, marking the biggest win of his Grand Slam career.
Unprecedented Representation for Australia
These remarkable achievements ensure that Australia will have its largest representation in the US Open men’s singles draw in 45 years and the highest number of women’s singles competitors in 35 years.
Australian Hopefuls Handed Challenging Draws at US Open 2024
US Open Results
Women’s Qualifying Singles Final Round
- Arina Rodionova AUS d. Mananchaya Sawangkaew THA 6-4, 6-2
- Maya Joint AUS d. Hailey Baptiste USA 6-2, 6-1
- Priscilla Hon AUS d. Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6(4), 6-7(2), 6-4
- Destanee Aiava AUS d. Ana Konjuh CRO 6-3, 6-2
- Kimberly Birrell AUS d. Julieta Pareja USA 6-3, 6-3
- Marina Bassols Ribera d. Talia Gibson AUS 6-3, 6-4
Men’s Qualifying Singles Final Round
- Li Tu AUS d. Jesper de Jong NED 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
