Second-seeded Australians Ellen Perez and Matt Ebden have navigated a harmful opening hurdle to kickstart their Olympic combined doubles marketing campaign.
Paris, France, 30 July 2024 | tennis.com.au
Australian No.2 seeds Ellen Perez and Matt Ebden have notched their first win within the Olympic combined doubles at Roland Garros, posting a 6-3 6-4 win over harmful Spanish pair Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marcel Granollers on Monday.
“Any time you’re profitable matches on the Olympics, it’s a great feeling,” doubles world No.10 Perez mentioned.
“It’s at all times good to get by way of the primary one, simply get some momentum. They had been a great group, we did nicely at occasions, we had been underneath the pump within the second and we had been capable of claw that again.”
It was a match-up Ebden admitted the pair was cautious of, given Granollers was the present doubles No.1.
“Granollers is without doubt one of the high doubles gamers and Sorribes Tormo, she received her ladies’s doubles match earlier. I feel we performed rather well,” Ebden mentioned.
“Ellen lit it up, actually, from begin to end. Approach to carry your greatest on the Olympics, that’s why we’re right here, to try to play our greatest at the very best occasions, and it’s no higher time for it.”
Off and working 🏃🏃♀️
Aussie No.2 seeds Matt Ebden and Ellen Perez notch their first win within the Olympics combined doubles 6-3 6-4 over Spanish pair Marcel Granollers and Sara Sorribes Tormo.#AllezAUS #Paris2024 #Olympics #Tennis pic.twitter.com/dCDYDWeVpe
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 30, 2024
Trying forward, the Aussie pair will play the winner of Chinese language duo Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Zhizhen or Croatia’s Donna Vekic and Mate Pavic within the quarterfinals.
“Each groups do the fundamentals nicely, a lot of serves and returns made,” Perez mentioned. “I feel it’s going to come back right down to the man who takes the lead in each situations.
Earlier on Monday, Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin fell to American No.4 seeds Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram within the first spherical of males’s doubles, 6-2 6-3.
> READ: Matt Ebden all smiles after Olympic debut
“It was good to step on the market with Alexei. We’ve actually shared each stage of our careers collectively,” De Minaur mentioned.
“From taking part in under-10s to Tennis Europe to juniors to Junior Davis Cup, Futures, Challengers, every thing, Davis Cup and Olympics and particularly turning into Olympic roomies, which has been loads of enjoyable.
“I’m simply excited I used to be capable of compete. I wasn’t positive that I’d have the chance to play.
“I’ve loved being across the athletes, the village, the opening ceremony, it’s been a surreal expertise. I’m very glad to have been part of it.”
Popyrin will proceed to fly the flag for Australia within the males’s singles. He faces three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka within the second spherical on Tuesday.
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES RESULTS
Males’s doubles, first spherical
[4] Austin Krajicek / Rajeev Ram (USA) d Alex de Minaur / Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-2 6-3
Blended doubles, first spherical
[2] Matt Ebden / Ellen Perez (AUS) d Sara Sorribes Tormo / Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-3 6-4
TENNIS: DAY 4 PREVIEW
Day 4 at Roland Garros will see world No.63 Popyrin up in opposition to three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka as they compete for a spot within the third spherical.
On the doubles court docket, Matt Ebden and John Friends face Spanish pair Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers within the spherical of 16, whereas Ajla Tomljanovic and Olivia Gadecki meet Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider within the first spherical of the ladies’s doubles.
Upcoming – Tuesday 31 July
Males’s singles, second spherical
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Stan Wawrinka (SUI), Court docket 14
Ladies’s doubles, first spherical
Ajla Tomljanovic / Olivia Gadecki (AUS) vs Mirra Andreeva / Diana Shnaider, Court docket 13
Males’s doubles, second spherical
Matt Ebden / John Friends (AUS) vs Pablo Carreno Busta / Marcel Granollers (ESP), Court docket 13