Top-Ranked Kim Birrell Emotional After Open Loss

Kim Birrell, Australia's top-ranked female tennis player, was visibly emotional after her unexpected exit from the Australian Open. She was initially set to face the 13th seed Anna Kalinskaya, but a last-minute withdrawal by Kalinskaya led to Birrell facing Eva Lys instead. This sudden change left Birrell 'rattled,' and she lost 6-2 6-2 to Lys. Birrell admitted the abrupt switch impacted her performance, and she broke down in tears during a post-match press conference, expressing disappointment in not playing her best. Despite the setback, Birrell acknowledged the responsibility for not adapting to the situation and expressed a desire to remember the positive matches from the tournament. Meanwhile, other notable Australian players like Alex de Minaur advanced, while others similarly exited in the first round.