Four Australians complete Melbourne qualifying breakthrough

Storm Hunter, Maddison Inglis, Jason Kubler and Dane Sweeny qualified for the Australian Open singles main draws. Each completed three qualifying victories, giving the tournament its largest group of successful Australian qualifiers since 1992 and adding four players to seventeen compatriots already entered.

Hunter defeated Taylor Townsend in straight sets to return to major singles competition after an Achilles rupture in early 2024. Inglis overcame Tamara Korpatsch, while Kubler advanced when Alexander Blockx retired with the match in its third set.

Sweeny beat Stefano Travaglia after a year in which he had won seven ITF titles and climbed from a ranking as low as 680. Hunter and Inglis helped bring the women’s Australian first-round contingent to ten, only the second such occasion in twenty-five years.