Australia’s Max Purcell might not have backed up his Australian Open men’s doubles final appearance from last year with Matt Ebden, but he has done the next-best thing.
Purcell, who also won the 2022 Wimbledon doubles title alongside Ebden, has peppered compatriots Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata – who will contest Saturday’s final at Melbourne Park – with information about their opponents.
Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler earlier in the Australian Open tournament.Credit:Eddie Jim
“Team Kinky” had never played together before the Australian Open but have upset the top, sixth and eight seeds, as well as saving a match point in the third round, on their way to the final.
Asked if he knew anything about their opponents for the final, French-born Monegasque Hugo Nys and Poland’s Jan Zielinski, Kubler revealed Purcell’s invaluable insights.
“They played Maxey and ‘Thommo’ [Jordan Thompson in the second round], so Maxey has actually been talking a lot to us about these doubles teams, just with how much experience he had the last few years on the doubles side,” Kubler said.
“That’s helped out massively. They know firsthand what they bring, so, hopefully, he can give us a few things that we can look to exploit.”
The men’s doubles final will again be played after the women’s singles final, which is due to start at 7.30pm AEDT on Saturday.
History made
Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos pose with the trophy.Credit:Getty Images
Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos achieved tennis history on Friday, when they became the first all-Brazilian duo to win a grand slam doubles title.
Stefani and Matos, who eliminated Australian pairing Marc Polmans and Olivia Gadecki in the semi-finals, triumphed 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in the Australian Open mixed doubles final over India’s Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna.
It was six-time major doubles title winner and former world doubles No.1 Mirza’s last match as a professional player.
No go on the logo
Belarusian Victoria Azarenka’s bid for a third Australian Open singles title ended at Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina’s hands on Thursday night.
But there was an interesting interaction between Azarenka and chair umpire Alison Hughes before the pre-match warm-up started.
Azarenka again strolled onto court in a Paris Saint-Germain football jersey, in honour of the French team her son, Leo, follows and dreams of playing for one day, but Hughes quickly asked her to remove it before the warm-up.
“I think it’s the issue with the sponsorships. I guess the logos are too big,” Azarenka said after her 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 loss to Rybakina.
“It’s not something they’ve done that is out of the ordinary – I know that I’m not allowed to play in that. I knew those type of things.
“But I can still step on the court in what [clothing] I want to step on the court [with]. I do it for my own reasons. My son wore the white jersey today to his practice, and I tried to wear a white jersey to my match but couldn’t. So, that’s OK.”
