Australian qualifier Jason Kubler has been holding his nerves to fight his way into the third round of Wimbledon with a straight sets victory over Dennis Novak.
Most important points:
- Jason Kubler was forced off the field on Thursday due to a shower of rain as he led 6-3, 6-4, 5-4
- Kubler has never appeared in the last 32 of a grand slam event
- Kubler has won 18 of his last 20 matches, including qualifying for Wimbledon last week
After being asked to sleep with a two-sets-to-love and a 5-4 lead, Kubler returned to the All England Club on Friday to close out the game coolly and make the last 32 of a grand slam for the first time. reach.
Barely broke into a sweat, Kubler needed just two minutes plus the warm-up to take the 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory and set a date for Saturday with the winner of the all-American affair between Jack Sock and Maxime Cressy.
The 29-year-old had just broken Novak and was about to serve for the game on Thursday when the heavens opened, eliciting a wry smile from the self-proclaimed “Australian tennis fighter” as he grabbed his gear and took cover.
Whether he wins or loses his next game, it was the best career of his career for Kubler, who has made more money in the past week than all season.
A place in the last 32 at the All England Club is worth a minimum of $213,000.
Victory over Sock of Cressy would guarantee Kubler at least $337,000 — not bad for someone who hit his last 14 cents at an all-time low during his injury-ridden career.
It would be nothing less than Kubler deserves after an inspired comeback from the one-time world number one junior, whose career has been cruelly halted due to five rounds of knee surgery.
With 18 wins from his past 20 outings, Kubler is finally back in the top 100 in the world with seemingly his best work yet to come.
The Queenslander was Australia’s last man to make it to the French Open, having also won three qualifiers to reach the main draw, as he did at Roehampton last week to secure his Wimbledon spot.
He has yet to cash in a set this week after knocking out British seed Dan Evans in the first round without dropping a single service game.
Kubler is the fourth Australian to make it to the third round, along with Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios and women’s number one Ajla Tomljanovic.
MONKEY
