Lajal, 22, is currently ranked 149th in the world. McCabe, also 22, is placed 45 spots below the Estonian in the ATP rankings.

After holding serve in the first three service games and conceding just two points in total, Lajal took a 5:3 lead in set one following a break. He was then broken to love in his next service game. In the 12th game, Estonia's top racket failed to convert two set points, and McCabe won the ensuing tie-break, taking six of the first seven points.

In the second set, both players held their serves, with the Australian not allowing Lajal a single point in his first two service games. Trailing 6:5, Lajal was able to rescue two McCabe match points on his own serve and forced the set into a tie-break, where he fell behind 5:2. The Estonian then saved five more match points and even earned a chance to take the set himself, but failed to do so.

The second set alone lasted over an hour. Winning 82 percent of points on his first serve, McCabe hit 10 aces and did not commit a single double fault, to Lajal's two aces and seven double faults. Alongside 12 winners, Lajal made 38 unforced errors over the exactly two-hour match, while McCabe's corresponding figures were 26 winners and 43 unforced errors.

The tournament serves as a warmer to the Australian Open starting in a week's time.

Lajal is due to take part in the qualifiers along with Daniil Glinka. This marks the first time two Estonian men's players have taken part in a grand slam tournament.

Ingrid Neel also makes Australian Open

Estonian-American doubles specialist Ingrid Neel does not need to go through qualifying as her ranking (47th) prior to being on an extended injury break was high enough to do so. Neel, 27, has participated in doubles Grand Slam tournaments 11 times, though only once in Australia. In 2022, she and her then partner Elixane Lechemia (France) went out in round one. It is not yet known who Neel's partner will be for this year's Australian Open.

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