The day was not good for tennis players Laura Pigossi and Thiago Monteiro, the first Brazilians to debut in the singles dispute at the Australian Open, in Melbourne. The 28-year-old from São Paulo was beaten, right in the first round, by the North American Caty McNally, by 2 sets to 0 (partials of 7/5 6/1). Pigossi, number 112 in the WTA world rankings, has earned the chance to compete in the Grand Slam main draw as lucky loserafter the withdrawal of the Spanish Paula Badosa (11th), who withdrew from the tournament due to an injury.
Thiago Monteiro debuts in the doubles on Tuesday night (17), alongside the Spaniard Pedro Martínez. The opponents will be the South Africans Lloyd Harris and Raven Klaasen – Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
In men’s, Ceará’s Thiago Monteiro (77th in the ATP ranking), also took an early farewell to the singles dispute when he lost the first duel to the Frenchman Constant Lestienne (55th in the ATP ranking), by 3 sets to 0, partials of 6 /3 7/6(2) 6/3.
“I was disappointed with the performance. Now it’s time to try to get out of that feeling and get back on my feet, I have a whole season ahead of me”, said the Ceará player, after the game.
Monteiro, 28, returns to the court this Tuesday (17) for his doubles debut, alongside Spaniard Pedro Martínez. The opponents will be the South Africans Lloyd Harris and Raven Klaasen.
More premieres from Brazil
São Paulo Beatriz Haddad, number 15 in the world, faces Spaniard Nuria Parrizas Diaz (75th) in the early hours of this Tuesday (17th) – the match will be the last of the first round that starts at 9 pm (Brasília time) today (16th) . Next, Bia will compete in the first round of doubles, alongside Chinese Shuai Zhang. The opponents will be the Canadian Leylah Fernandez and the North American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
In the men’s category, in addition to Thiago Monteiro’s duo, three others will compete in the first round starting at 9 pm on Tuesday (17). The miner Marcelo Demoliner and the Italian Andrea Vavassori face the Belgians Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille. The partnership of the gaucho Rafael Matos with the Spaniard David Vega Hernández measures forces with the Monegasque duo Hugo Nys with the Pole Jan Zielinski. The first duel between Marcelo Melo and North American Mackenzie McDonald will be against Croatian Ivan Dodig and North American Austin Krajicek.
On the night of Wednesday (18) the duo from Campinas Luisa Stefani – Newly Adelaide ATP Doubles Champion – with the American Caty McNally makes her debut at the Australian Open against the hosts Astra Sharma and Jaimee Fourti.
