Italy's Cocciaretto gets Australian Open boost with Hobart title

The world number 80 was runner-up in 2023 and went one better this time with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jovic, who claimed her maiden title last year at Guadalajara aged just 17. Cocciaretto, a former world number 29, scored two wins just to make the main draw and picked up steam after escaping fourth seed Ann Li from 6-1, 5-3 down in the second round. The 24-year-old, whose only previous title was on clay at Lausanne in 2023, did not lose more than four games in a set for the rest of the tournament.