Alexei Popyrin has enjoyed a dream Olympic debut in Paris opening with a singles win, while Matt Ebden and John Peers advanced in doubles.
Paris, France, 29 July 2024 | tennis.com.au
World No.46 Alexei Popyrin scored Australia’s only singles win on Sunday in his Olympic debut.
The 25-year-old defeated Chile’s world No.24 Nicolas Jarry 6-3 7-6(5) to move through to the next round at Roland Garros.
“I’m feeling very happy. I don’t think it’s ever easy to debut against a player like that,” Popyrin said after the match.
“I’m very happy that I got the job done.
“I was fairly comfortable in the first set. I was serving well, holding my serves quite easily. And then, in the second set I think he found his rhythm a little bit. I broke him quite early on, and then it was a very topsy-turvy second set and then the tiebreaker finished it off.
“I’m happy to get through it, it was a good match against a good opponent.”
> READ: De Minaur withdraws from Paris Olympics singles
Asked if Olympics introduced a whole new set of nerves, Popyrin said: “The Olympics is massive, just like Slams are. I think just being at Roland Garros, just being here, somewhere I’ve been before, calmed my nerves down a little bit.”
Popyrin will next face Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka. The two have only met once before with Popyrin securing the victory in Umag last year to win his second singles title.
In men’s doubles, Matt Ebden and John Peers moved through to the second round after overcoming Lebanon’s Hady Habib and Benjamin Hassan, 7-6(5) 6-2.
They will next play Spanish pair Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers who defeated Italian top seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in three sets, 2-6 7-6(5) [10-7].
> READ: Matt Ebden all smiles after Olympic debut
On Monday, Popyrin will team up with Alex de Minaur to begin their men’s doubles campaign.
In women’s singles, Ajla Tomljanovic fell to American world No.2 Coco Gauff 6-3 6-0 in front of a huge crowd on Philippe Chatrier.
Twenty-two-year-old Olivia Gadecki, who received the last-minute call-up to singles after Anhelina Kalinina withdrew, was unable to overcome Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands, falling 6-4 6-1.
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES RESULTS
Men’s singles
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d [16] Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-3 7-6(5)
Women’s singles
[2] Coco Gauff (USA) d Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-3 6-0
Arantxa Rus (NED) d Olivia Gadecki (AUS) 6-4 6-1
Men’s…
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