‘Huge plus’: Max Purcell hopes for daytime clash with Casper Ruud

Larrikin first-round winner Max Purcell did not hold back in a brutal assessment of him and his qualifier opponent on Tuesday.

Australian Max Purcell is through to the second round of the Australian Open for the first time after a testing four-set battle with a qualifier. Picture: David Caird

Australian world No. 45 Max Purcell wants Casper Ruud to sweat it out in the sun with him when the pair meets in the second round on Thursday, but the weather might not obey his wishes.

Purcell set up a clash with the 11th seed through an unconvincing 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 7-5 win over Hungarian qualifier Mate Valkusz on Tuesday, but remains confident in his game after a career-best 2023 in which he beat Ruud at the Cincinnati Open in August.

Ruud was the 25-year-old Sydneysider’s first top-10 scalp, and he said while the court conditions would not be as “fast” as they were in their last battle, he could still exploit the hot weather as he called on tournament organisers to find a daytime slot for the match.

“I’ll play on whichever court they want to play me on … I just want to play in the middle of the day because any time you get to play Europeans in the Australian summer when they’ve come from indoor in winter, it’s a huge plus,” Purcell said.

Casper Ruud felt the heat during his straight-sets opening round win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday. Picture: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

“The bigger the court, the more Australian fans I get cheering me on, so if I’m feeling fit, and I’m up for the challenge and the heat, then why not take a big court in the middle of the day?

“I felt like I was using the crowd as well to make the guy I was playing feel a little smaller, a little defeated … they really get behind you.”

Purcell’s wish could be thwarted though by the low pressure system expected to sweep through Melbourne and bring heavy rain on Wednesday, with a forecast of only 21C and cloudy skies for Thursday.

The victory on Kia Arena was Purcell’s first in the singles main draw at the Australian Open after he twice reached the men’s doubles final in 2020 and 2022 before winning the Wimbledon title alongside fellow Australian Matt Ebden.

He said high praise for his entertaining serve-and-volley game from John Newcombe among other former players had instilled him with confidence to devote his time to his singles aspirations.

“Yeah, (the praise is) huge. A lot of these ex-players give me some belief in my game, and like the way that I play, trying to come forward,” Purcell said.

Purcell says he is confident in his future in singles tennis after soaring into the world top 40 in 2023 and earning the praise of former players including John Newcombe. Picture: David Caird

“Obviously today I did that less than usual just because I knew the guy that I was playing’s legs were dead from qualifying … but it’s great to have their backing and obviously I have my own team’s backing.

“We’ve got such a tight kind of group in Australia right now … I back the sh— out of Rinky and all these other guys that go out and play.

“I think we’ve got such a good support group, so that helps me believe that I can win as well.”

Purcell served for the match at 5-2 and 5-4 in the fourth set but was broken twice by Valkusz, saying he held his nerve by focusing on his superior fitness to the tired qualifier who had to play three matches last week.

“He’s ranked where he is for a reason; I’m ranked where I am for a reason – he’s going to crack at some point.

“I could see him looking for the ice towels at about the hour-mark of that match, so I was like ‘alright, if I can get one of those first two sets so he’s still two sets away from winning, I should be home here’, and I was just grabbing at that thought the whole time.

“It was disappointing not to hold (the two games in the fourth set) but I was like … just be calm and you’ll be rewarded, and I did – he played a shocking game to give me the break again and I got to serve with new balls.”

‘What the f---’: Purcell rips into Aus Open security over colour clash

Aussie first-round winner Max Purcell is bewildered by the uniforms of the security guards in the stands at Melbourne Park, calling their fluorescent yellow tops an unnecessary distraction during points.

In an entertaining press conference after his four-set win over Hungarian qualifier Mate Valkusz, the 25-year-old Sydneysider raised the grievance when he was asked if he had a problem with spectators moving to and from their seats before the change of ends – a rule change which drew the ire of fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson on Monday.

“Nah it’s fine, I didn’t think it was an issue. The only thing that was annoying me was the security guards at the entrance wearing fluro yellow,” Purcell said.

“So (Valkusz) was throwing up balls on his serve and I’m like, ‘what the f--- are you doing, I can’t see the ball ... any other colour please!’

“They didn’t think that one through, but as far as the people (moving into seats), that was fine.”

The question to Purcell was prompted by a conversation he initiated with the chair umpire midway through the fourth set, but he revealed a rogue ballkid was the reason he was riled up.

“A ballkid just took a drink bottle and started walking off the court during the point, next to the net,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Huge plus’: Max Purcell hopes for daytime clash with Casper Ruud