Australian Open 2021 - British players Naiktha Bains and Jay Clarke beaten in qualifying
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ByEurosport
Updated 10/01/2021 at 18:40 GMT
Francesca Jones, Harriet Dart and Liam Broady are in action on Monday as they bid to qualify for the first Grand Slam of the year. The Australian Open will take place from February 8 at Melbourne Park. Novak Djokovic is the defending champion in the men's event, with Sofia Kenin the winner of last's year's women's singles
Naiktha Bains has made a request to change her allegiance to Great Britain
Image credit: Getty Images
British players Naiktha Bains and Jay Clarke both tasted defeat in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open.
Bains, the British number six and world number 242, was in action in Dubai for qualifying which is taking place in the Middle East due to strict border rules in Australia to combat Covid-19.
She had no answer to the quality of France's Tessah Andrianjafitrimo who ran out a 6-1 6-2 winner.
Baines is still to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam.
In men’s qualifying in Qatar, Clarke fell to a 6-2 6-4 defeat to Taiwan's Tung-Lin Wu.
Clarke, 22, is another player seeking a first grand slam appearance.
Francesca Jones, Harriet Dart and Liam Broady are in action on Monday against Monica Niculescu, Grace Min and Constant Lestienne respectively.
The Australian Open is due to start on February 8, having been delayed by three weeks.
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