Marino qualifies for Australian Open main draw with win over fellow Canadian Sebov
Rebecca Marino has advanced past fellow Canadian Katherine Sebov in qualifying to make the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Marino has played in the Australian Open main draw six times — including the last three years — but has never advanced past the round of 64.
Marino, from Vancouver, beat Toronto’s Sebov in two games before Sebov retired in the third with a physiotherapist examining her wrist.
Gabriel Diallo of Montreal fell 6-3, 3-6, 2-6 to Belgium’s David Goffin on the men’s side of the qualifiers.
Diallo had beaten France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) to advance to the final round of the men’s qualifying bracket.
Main draw play begins Sunday (Saturday evening in Canada) at Melbourne Park. Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal will open against Dominic Thiem of Austria while Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., has drawn a qualifier for her first-round match.
