Roman Safiullin’s strong start to the season continued on Tuesday when the World No. 146 moved past Bernard Tomic 6-1, 6-4 to reach the second round of qualifying at the Australian Open.

The 24-year-old earned impressive victories over Top 100 pair James Duckworth and Arthur Rinderknech for Team Russia at ATP Cup last week and played with confidence against Australia’s Tomic, hitting 19 aces to advance in 58 minutes.

Safiullin will next face Christopher Eubanks after the American defeated Tristan Schoolkate 6-3, 6-4 in 62 minutes.

Former World No. 28 Joao Sousa overcame Frenchman Manuel Guinard 6-3, 6-2 to earn his first win of the year. The 32-year-old, who has reached the third round in Melbourne three times (2015, 2016, 2019), saved all five break points he faced to move through after 71 minutes.

Sousa will next play Australian Marc Polmans following the 24-year-old’s 7-6(3), 6-2 victory over Geoffrey Blancaneaux.

J.J. Wolf won 75 per cent (27/36) of his first-serve points en route to his 6-3, 6-4 triumph against former World No. 31 Sergiy Stakhovsky. The American, whose best result at a major was a run to the third round at the US Open in 2020, next meets Great Britain’s Liam Broady after the World No. 127 downed Kacper Zuk 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 53 minutes.

The 19-year-old Dominic Stricker defeated Mohamed Safwat 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, while Japan’s Taro Daniel saw off World No. 250 Andrea Arnaboldi 6-3, 6-3.