THE race for the Wollongong International singles title remains wide open after five of the remaining six qualifying seeds won through to the main draw on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Top qualifying seed and former US Open wildcard Marcos Giron (USA) easily accounted for Australian Zach Itzstein 6-3, 6-1 while second seeded Australian Marc Polmans defeated Socrates Leon Tsnoris in straight sets.
Remaining seeds Scott Puodziunas, Blade Fong, Jake Delaney, Patrick Fitzgerald and Richard Yang all won through to the Main Draw with only fifth seed Caleb Boland failing to make it through after losing 6-2, 6-1 to fellow Australian Damian Farinola.
Top two seeds Connor Smith and Canberra International winner Ben Mitchell won’t be in action in singles until Wednesday but number three seed, Jose Statham of New Zealand and Giron will both be in action on Tuesday.
Aussies Blade Fong, Calum Puttergill, Darren Polkinghorne, Bradley Mousley and Steven De Waard will all take to the court on day one.
Local hope Blake Mott will face Delaney on Wednesday and said the singles crown is a wide open race.
‘‘Ben Mitchell obviously just won the Canberra [International] and he’s coming in with a bit of confidence,’’ Mott said.
‘‘There’s a couple of good American players who play a lot of matches.
‘‘Marcos Giron was in the qualifying and he just beat [John] Millman who’s in the top 100 so everyone in the draw can play good tennis.
‘‘It’ll be about who can put it together on the day.’’
