The post-Ash Barty era has been a difficult one for Australians to contemplate, brought once again to the surface in the advent of the year’s opening major. There is a gap in the women’s singles draw where the defending champion will not be, and a space in the public consciousness into which somebody else must step.
Until two days ago that player was Ajla Tomljanović, the world No 35 who has made two grand slam quarter-finals in the past 12 months and ended the career of Serena Williams in the process. Then Tomljanović was out, overcome by a knee injury, and locals went in search of someone else to fill the void.
For now, at least, they have Olivia Gadecki, who announced herself on Monday with a first-round win in her maiden match in the main draw of a slam. The 20-year-old is not a complete unknown: in late 2021 she made headlines for defeating Sofia Kenin, though she did not contest last year’s Open because of her vaccination status. A Queenslander, she is also a longtime Barty protege.
Both of these facts made Gadecki a stirring prospect – and earned her a wildcard entry – and on the opening day at Melbourne Park she spent one hour and 16 minutes demonstrating that to teenage Russian qualifier, Polina Kudermetova, whom she saw off 7-5, 6-1.
Gadecki, ranked 200th, took the only break of the first set, then set about winning seven consecutive games en route to a 5-0 lead in the second. Once she had sealed the result, the media told her she had just made almost $160,000 in prize money.
“Wow, OK,” she said, before gathering herself. “In a way, it doesn’t really change the way I go about my career. It just gives me a little bit of a safety net, which is really important when it comes to being an athlete. Just having that security and knowing you don’t have to rely on doing well each and every week to be able to fund yourself.”
Barty had been watching and continuing her mentoring role. “She sent me a text after my match, which really meant a lot,” Gadecki said. “But I’m sure everyone kind of knows she’s always been in my corner, and I’m so lucky to have her. Whenever I need advice or anything, I’m always able to contact her.”
She will meet Marta Kostyuk in the second round on Wednesday after the Ukrainian world No 61 outclassed 28th-seeded American, Amanda Anisimova, 6-3, 6-4.
The win kicked off a mixed day for Australians in the shadow of Nick Kyrgios’s last-minute withdrawal, with wildcards Talia Gibson and Storm Hunter both losing in straight sets to French qualifier Clara Burel and China’s Wang Xinyu respectively.
But Jason Kubler overcame Sebastian Baez, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to continue his excellent run of form. The Argentine is ranked 41st – 45 places higher than the Australian former junior world No 1, who finally won an Australian Open singles match more than a decade after debuting as a teenager.
“It’s the first time I’ve won here in singles so a bit of nerves but also he’s a great opponent and he’s a great player,” Kubler said. “But I was able to put it together and win those important points. Luckily I was able to serve quite well. So super happy to get through.”
Meanwhile, Veteran John Millman prevailed against Swiss Marc-Andrea Hüsler in a five-set classic lasting more than four hours and finishing 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3. And 21-year-old Rinky Hijikata made it three from three for the men, coming back from two sets down to defeat German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in an equally dramatic 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7), 6-3.
