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Aussie weekly wrap: Rising star Schoolkate among six Australian title winners

Aussie weekly wrap: Rising star Schoolkate among six Australian title winners

Tristan Schoolkate won the biggest singles title of his career at an ATP Challenger tournament in China this week.

Guangzhou, China, 6 May 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Six Australians won professional titles this week, with a further six Aussie players featuring in finals.

Tristan Schoolkate had a week to remember, claiming the biggest singles title of his career at an ATP Challenger tournament in China. The 23-year-old from Perth also scooped the doubles title with fellow Aussie Blake Ellis.

Schoolkate secured his breakthrough singles title in an all-Australian showdown with Adam Walton in the final, his occasional doubles partner who he had lost to two times previously this year.

Inclement weather impacted the tournament, which meant Schoolkate played four matches across the final two days.

> READ: Schoolkate – “You’ve got to work very hard”

Jordan Thompson made headlines with his giant-killing, title-winning run alongside American Sebastian Korda in the men’s doubles draw at the Madrid Masters.

With this effort, Thompson became the first Australian in 18 years to win an ATP Masters 1000 title on clay.

Other title winners this week included Ellen Perez, Elysia Bolton and Joshua Charlton.

This week’s most outstanding performers include:

Jordan Thompson: The 30-year-old won the biggest doubles title of his career at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid (Spain) alongside American Sebastian Korda. It is Thompson’s fourth ATP doubles title of 2024, improving his season record in doubles to 22 wins from 26 matches.

> READ: Thompson and Korda crowned doubles champions at Madrid Masters

Ellen Perez: The 28-year-old successfully defended her doubles title at a WTA 125 tournament in Lleida (Spain). After winning with compatriot Storm Hunter in 2023, Perez triumphed alongside American Nicole Melichar-Martinez this year.

Olivia Gadecki: The 22-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at a WTA 125 tournament in Saint Melo (France) with Brit Olivia Nicholls. This improved Gadecki’s season record in doubles to 11 wins from 13 matches.

Taylah Preston: The 18-year-old scored her first professional singles win on clay, beating former world No.10 Kristina Mladenovic in the opening round at the WTA 125 tournament in Saint Melo. Preston then extended world No.87 Peyton Stearns to three sets in the second round.

Tristan Schoolkate: The 23-year-old defeated three seeded opponents to scoop the singles crown at an ATP Challenger in Guangzhou (China). This is Schoolkate’s third career singles title and his first at ATP Challenger level.

Blake Ellis and Tristan Schoolkate: The Aussie pair clinched the doubles title at an ATP Challenger in Guangzhou. This is 25-year-old Ellis’ 12th career doubles title and 23-year-old Schoolkate’s 11th. It is their fifth title as a team.

Adam Walton: The 25-year-old was a singles finalist at the ATP Challenger in Guangzhou. It was the fourth final of the season at ATP Challenger level for the in-form Walton, who has recorded 11 wins from his past 14 matches.

> READ: Adam Walton – A rising star of Australian tennis

James Duckworth: The 32-year-old made the singles quarterfinals at the ATP Challenger in Guangzhou. The in-form Duckworth has now won nine of his past 13 matches.

Calum Puttergill: The 30-year-old was a doubles semifinalist at the ATP Challenger in Guangzhou with American Reese Stalder. It was Puttergill’s third semifinal appearance this season at ATP Challenger level.

Patrick Harper: The 24-year-old was a doubles finalist at an ATP Challenger in Porto Alegre (Brazil) with Brit David Stevenson. This was the pair’s third ATP Challenger final appearance in as many weeks on South American clay.

Maya Joint: The 18-year-old was a singles finalist at an ITF 100 tournament in Bonita Springs (USA). This was the biggest final of Joint’s career and improves her season record to 31 wins from 40 matches.

Arina Rodionova: The 34-year-old advanced to her biggest singles final in almost three years, finishing runner-up at an ITF 100 tournament in Gifu (Japan).

> READ: Rodionova – “Putting in the hours and hard work helps”

Kimberly Birrell: The 26-year-old was a doubles finalist at an ITF 100 tournament in Gifu (Japan) with Canadian Rebecca Marino. The final loss snapped a seven-match winning streak in doubles for Birrell.

Elysia Bolton: The 24-year-old won the doubles title at an ITF 50 hard-court tournament in Lopota (Georgia) alongside American Catherine Harrison. This is Bolton’s eighth career ITF doubles title and her second this season.

Alexandra Bozovic: The 25-year-old was a singles semifinalist at an ITF 35 tournament in Boca Raton (USA). Bozovic also progressed to the doubles semifinals with Canadian Kayla Cross.

Bernard Tomic: The 31-year-old was a singles finalist at an ITF 25 tournament in Xalapa (Mexico). It was Tomic’s second final appearance of the season and first since January.

Joshua Charlton: The 24-year-old teamed with Brit Emile Hudd to capture the doubles title at an ITF 25 tournament in Nottingham (Great Britain). It is Charlton’s third ITF doubles title this year and his first won on international soil.

Blake Mott: The 28-year-old was a singles semifinalist at the ITF 25 tournament in Nottingham. This improved Mott’s record in the past fortnight to six wins from eight matches.

Jin Woodman: The 15-year-old finished runners-up in the junior boys’ singles competition at an ITF wheelchair event in Turkey. Woodman now turns his attention to representing Australia at the World Team Cup.

> READ: Australian junior team excited for World Team Cup challenge

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