Max Purcell is through to his second career semifinal in Eastbourne, where he is joined by fellow Australian Aleksandar Vukic.
Eastbourne, United Kingdom, 28 June 2024 | Matt Trollope
Eastbourne, UK
Australia’s impressive week at the ATP event in Eastbourne continues, with Max Purcell and Aleksandar Vukic into the singles semifinals, and Matt Ebden and John Peers reaching the doubles final.
Purcell, a qualifier, advanced with a 6-3 7-6(4) win over Miomir Kecmanovic, before Vukic held off Yoshihito Nishioka, rebounding from 0-3 and 2-5 down in a final tiebreak to win 6-3 3-6 7-6(5).
Vukic has risen to world No.63 in the ATP Live Rankings, while Purcell vaults to 80th.
Vukic had lost to Nishioka in the final round of qualifying earlier in the week, only to be elevated to the main draw following the withdrawal of Dominik Koepfer.
He now finds himself in just his second career ATP semifinal – and first on grass – and will face top seed Taylor Fritz for a shot at a second tour-level final.
It was Fritz who stopped him in that previous final, in Atlanta last year.
Vukic, who reached the quarterfinals at ‘s-Hertogenbosch two weeks ago, has now won six of his past nine matches on grass.
Purcell is in a similarly-rich vein of form on the surface, taking his winning streak to five and dropping just one set on his way from the qualifying rounds to the last four.
It is a continuation of Purcell’s excellent record on the English south coast; in his last appearance at Eastbourne, he also advanced to the semifinals, falling in three sets to Lorenzo Sonego.
Purcell avenged that defeat in the quarterfinals this year and this time around will face British wildcard Billy Harris for a place in his first ATP-level final.
Including the qualifying rounds, Purcell has won nine of his past 11 matches in Eastbourne.
On the doubles court, Ebden and Peers – playing together for the first time since 2022 – won their third straight match to advance to the final.
They again emerged triumphant in a match tiebreak, beating Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten 6-7(11) 7-6(4) [10-5] to set up a final against fourth seeds Neal Skupski and Michael Venus.
Ebden and Peers will represent Australia as a doubles combination at the Paris 2024 Olympics and are appearing in their second ATP final as a team, after Naples in 2022.
Aussies in action – Eastbourne
RESULTS
Men’s singles, quarterfinals
[LL] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) d [Q] Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 6-3 3-6 7-6(5)
[Q] Max Purcell (AUS) d Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-3 7-6(4)
Men’s doubles, semifinals
[3] Matt Ebden (AUS)/John Peers (AUS) d Harri Heliovaara (FIN)/Henry Patten (GBR) 6-7(11) 7-6(4) [10-5]
COMING UP
Men’s singles, semifinals
[LL] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [1] Taylor Fritz (USA)
[Q] Max Purcell (AUS) v [WC] Billy Harris (GBR)
Men’s doubles, final
[3] Matt Ebden (AUS)/John Peers (AUS) v [4] Neal Skupski (GBR)/Michael Venus (NZL)
Bad Homburg, Germany
Another Australian Olympic representative is Ellen Perez, who continued her impressive week alongside Nicole Melichar-Martinez at the WTA 500 event in Bad Homburg.
The No.1 seeds outplayed Miyu Kato and Zhang Shuai in straight sets to reach the semfinal stage at the German grass-court tournament.
There they will face Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Ingrid Neel of Estonia, bidding to reach their fourth WTA final together in 2024.
Perez and Melichar-Martinez earlier this year triumphed in San Diego as well as reaching finals in Linz and Dubai.
Aussies in action – Bad Homburg
RESULTS
Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d Miyu Kato (JPN)/Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-3 6-4
COMING UP
Women’s doubles, semifinals
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR)/Ingrid Neel (EST)
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