Nine Australians featured in opening-round qualifying singles matches at the Canadian Open, which is being staged in Montreal and Toronto this week.
Montreal, Canada, 6 August 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Montreal, Canada
Kimberly Birrell has defeated compatriot Daria Saville in the opening round of the qualifying singles competition at a WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal.
The 25-year-old Birrell triumphed 6-3 6-4 in an all-Australian battle that lasted one hour and 45 minutes.
Saville, currently ranked No.163, was contesting her first match on hard court since injuring the ACL in her left knee at Tokyo in September last year.
With her first-ever win at the Canadian Open, world No.114 Birrell moves into a final-round showdown with Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.
World No.60 Putintseva is a three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist.
Aussies in action –…