Aussies go own way to quarters
AUSTRALIAN No.1 Ashleigh Barty and compatriot John Millman booked places in Eastbourne quarter-finals after straight-sets victories.
Barty faces world No.2 Caroline Wozniacki overnight after a quick thirdround victory over Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei in East Sussex yesterday.
She deployed her strong first serve and formidable forehand play to defeat Hsieh 6-0, 6-4 in 74 minutes.
Top-seeded Dane Wozniacki earlier eliminated British No.1 Johanna Konta 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Fellow Australian Millman also made it through to the final eight after defeating Argentine Leonardo Mayer in a double tiebreak match that ended 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-4).
The 29-year-old was due to meet fourth-seeded Italian Marco Cecchinato in the quarter- finals.
Meanwhile, former world No.1 Andy Murray tumbled out of the tournament after a straight-sets loss to British compatriot Kyle Edmund.
Edmund’s rise to 18th in the rankings has coincided with Murray’s year out with a hip injury which has seen him drop to 156th in the world.
The 23-year-old Edmund said it had been a “weird” feeling taking on his Davis Cup teammate and the man who had mentored him in his early days on Tour.
Murray made things awkward and fought tenaciously but had no answer to Edmund’s ferocious forehand. He is the first British player to defeat Murray for 12 years.
Meanwhile, Australia’s three women representatives in the second round of qualifying for Wimbledon all crashed out at the Bank of England sports ground in London. Townsville’s Lizette Cabrera lost to 18-year-old American Claire Liu 6-4, 4-6 6-1 with Priscilla Hon also going out to American Jamie Loeb 6-4, 6-4.
Arina Rodionova, who was Australia’s best performer at the All England last year when she reached the second round, fell 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Romanian world No.197 Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Five Australian men were aiming to earn a place in the main draw overnight with at least one guaranteed of being in action in week one with Alex Bolt taking on fellow South Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Bernard Tomic was against veteran Belgian Davis Cup representative Ruben Bemelmans. Jason Kubler can book a first appearance at the All England if he defeats Canadian Peter Polansky.
Queensland left-hander John-Patrick Smith takes on American Michael Mmoh.