Maddison Inglis leaves Melbourne Park with a lot, including the high-end toaster she’s always wanted. There is pride, having reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, but also disappointment. In the biggest match of the local qualifier’s career, the world No 2 Iga Swiatek proved too polished, securing a 6-0, 6-3 victory on Monday night.
The result leaves no more local players in the women’s singles draw. In the men’s singles, there is only Alex de Minaur, who plays top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday evening.
Against Swiatek, Inglis was up against a top 10 player for only the second time. The first set delivered a bagel, so she set out to prove she was worthy of her place, that she can handle the heat. In the kitchen of Rod Laver Arena, she broke the Pole at the start of the second set and celebrated – part show, part sincere – by jumping along the baseline, arms aloft.
Otherwise, that’s it for today – join us again tomorrow for some absolute bangers.
