Glasspool/Heliovaara Make Winning Start In Melbourne

After enjoying a career-best season this past year, including making their debut at the coveted Nitto ATP Finals, Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara are showing no signs of slowing down.

The British-Finnish duo won their first event of 2023, the Adelaide International 1, and are now aiming for their maiden Grand Slam crown. The sixth seeds kicked off their Australian Open title quest Friday by taking down Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 7-6(3), 6-3.

In other doubles action, 2022 Roland Garros champions Jean-Julien Rojer and Marcelo Arevalo fended off all six break points faced to oust Diego Hidalgo and Emil Ruusuvuori 6-1, 7-6(1).

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Several first-round upsets occurred Friday, including French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul taking out ninth seeds Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3. The Austrian tandem Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler needed just one hour, nine minutes to get past 10th seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 6-3, 7-5. Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar defeated Jamie Murray and Michael Venus 7-6(5), 6-4.

Australian Alexei Popyrin, who is in the third round of men’s singles, teamed with Marc Polmans to win against Facundo Bagnis and Robert Galloway 6-4, 6-3. The home favourites will next meet second seeds and 2022 Nitto ATP Finals champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.

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