20 year-old Petra Marčinko (from Zagreb) won her first Grand Slam match Monday in Melbourne, taking down German Tatjana Maria in straight sets at the Australian Open: 6-3, 7-5. Next up in the 2nd round: American Peyton Stearns.
Marčinko has played in every Grand Slam qualifying tournament since 2023 but was never able to crack the main draw — until 2026. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t playing well in her teenage career. Marčinko has already won one WTA 125 title as well as 11 ITF tiles. She has collected $490,000 in career earnings. Not too bad for someone who just turned 20.
Marčinko has been a promising prospect with a high ceiling. Her next objective would be to make the 3rd/4th Round of a Grand Slam. She is currently on the right trajectory ranked #81 in the world. Best of luck in a long and promising career!
Marin Čilić cruised to a 1st Round Aussie Open win over German Daniel Altmaier 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 in a match that only lasted two hours. It is Čilić’s first win in Melbourne since 2022 after battling injuries and surgeries. Can the 37 year-old make a run Down Under?? He is now slated to played #21 Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the 2nd Round. With the win, Čilić moves up to #66 in the world rankings.
Our women tennis players tend to have career trajectories opposite of our key men soccer players…the young phenoms flame out or get injured in their early to mid20’s!
Ana Konjuh was an unfortunate “what-if” player.
She was the top-ranked junior female tennis player in the World, and had to have multiple elbow surgeries before the age of 17 (which is pretty much a death sentence in tennis).
She still managed to make it to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam with that bum elbow, but she could have been something special.
Marcinko was a top junior, however the last couple of years due to injuries and poor form she has struggled. Late last year she won a few smaller tournaments and was able to get her ranking into the top 100 and as a results direct qualification for the Aust Open.
Marcinko played really well in the first set dominating the German player. Half way through the second set the momentum had sifted and Tatjana Maria started dominating and took a 5 – 3 lead and I thought that is it, third set coming up however Marcinko was able to turn it around by winning the next four games.
Cilic was in superb form in the first two sets hitting winners all over the court and has a chance against Shapovalov.
So many Croatian fans in the stands for the Marcinko, Cilic and even when Prizmic was playing his qualifying matches there were heaps of teenagers supporting him. This is the largest number of Croatian fans that I have ever seen at the AOpen.
Dino Prizmic plays tomorrow, got into the main draw as a lucky loser and plays against Australian player Duckworth. If he wins ?? second round he will most probably play against Sinner.
Vekic currently one set all with #8 Andreeva. Expected her to get blown away so she’s putting up a good fight at least.
She did get blown away 6 – 0 in the third set.
The level of tennis that she played in the first set was very high standard and if she could play like that all the time, she would be a top 10 player.