3 Turks to compete in 2021 Australian Open

By Mutlu Demirtastan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Three Turkish tennis players will compete in the 2021 Australian Open's qualifying stage with drawings for the first round in the men's and women's category held Saturday.

Cagla Buyukakcay and Pemra Ozgen will be on court to play in the first round in the women's competition.

Cem Ilkel will appear in the men's qualifiers.

The qualifying phase will be held Jan. 10-13.

Ranked 178 the world, Buyukakcay will face 15-year-old Andorran Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva.

Number 212 seed Ozgen will take on Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina, who is ranked 163.

Ilkel at 219, will compete against Peter Gojowczyk from Germany in the first round. Gojowczyk is ranked 26 in the world.

Women's qualifiers for the tournament will be in Dubai, and the men will be played in Doha because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This season's first Grand Slam tournament is scheduled in Melbourne from Feb 8 - 21.