Tirante claims first Australian Open 2026 win, justifies Copa Davis call-up | OneFootball

The player from La Plata, Thiago Tirante, debuted in the main draw of the Australian Open with a solid victory against local Aleksandar Vukic.

Thiago Tirante wrote a special page in his career and in Argentine tennis. In his debut in the main draw of the Australian Open, the player from La Plata achieved a convincing victory against the Australian Aleksandar Vukic, a higher-ranked player, and became the only positive note for the Legion at the end of the first day in Melbourne.

An authoritative debut for Thiago Tirante

Tirante, ranked 103rd in the ATP and the last direct qualifier to the main draw, appeared for the fifth time in Melbourne, after failing to pass the qualifiers in previous editions. This time, the scenario was different: he played with personality, controlled the pace of the match, and won in straight sets 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, in one hour and 50 minutes, at the ANZ Arena.

The Argentine showed solidity from the baseline and remarkable efficiency in capitalizing on opportunities, dismantling an opponent who arrived with higher ranking support and the backing of the local crowd.

A greater challenge in the second round

The reward for Tirante will be a demanding clash in the next stage. In the second round, he will face the American Tommy Paul, seeded number 19 in the tournament, in a duel that will test him against one of the most consistent players on the circuit.

A challenging day for the rest of the Argentines in Australia

Tirante's victory contrasted with a difficult morning for the other Argentines in competition. Mariano Navone fell to the Serbian Hamad Medjedovic in a long and contested match, which was decided in four sets by 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, after three hours of play.

Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo also couldn't maintain his initial advantage against local Jordan Thompson. After winning the first set in a tiebreak, the Argentine lost ground and ended up conceding by 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1, 6-1, also after more than three hours of battle.

The Argentine hope

In a mostly adverse day, Thiago Tirante raised the Argentine flag in Melbourne and confirmed that his arrival in the main draw was no coincidence. With renewed confidence and no pressure, the player from La Plata is already thinking about the next challenge, knowing that the Australian Open has already given him his first major celebration.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.