JAMES MCGEE WILL not be in the main draw for next week’s Australian Open after losing out to Daniel Brands 7-6 6-4 in Melbourne.
Ireland’s number one tennis player, ranked 199th in the world, was one win away from qualifying for the first Grand Slam event of the year after two victories and took on the big-serving German in the early hours of this morning.
151-ranked Brands claimed the first set 7-6 after winning the tie-break (7-1), but McGee fought back in the second set to level 4-4 before eventually losing 6-4.
It would have been the Dubliner’s second career Grand Slam qualification after earning a place at the 2014 US Open.
After the result, he tweeted:
Meanwhile, Britain’s Dan Evans beat Bjorn Fratangelo 7-5 4-6 6-0 to reach the main draw for the first time.
