Alexei Popyrin and Max Purcell are through to the final eight in the men’s singles competition at Cincinnati this week.
Cincinnati, USA, 17 August 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Alexei Popyrin and Max Purcell have continued their career-best runs at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.
Popyrin, who entered the draw as a lucky loser after being edged out by Purcell in a three-set battle in the final qualifying round, is now through to the men’s singles quarterfinals.
The 24-year-old Australian recorded a 6-2 1-6 6-3 victory against world No.60 Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland in the third round.
Top of the Pops 🙌@AlexeiPopyrin99 reaches his first Masters quarter-final with a 6-2 1-6 6-3 victory over Ruusuvuori #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/OU9tmq6i7h
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 17, 2023
This sets up a quarterfinal clash with world No.20 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, who has eliminated defending champion Borna Coric and world No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a giant-killing run this week.
World No.58 Popyrin’s previous best result at ATP Masters 1000 level was a fourth-round appearance at Rome earlier this year.
Purcell, who recorded his career-first main-draw win at an ATP Masters 1000 event in Toronto last week, is also through to the quarterfinals.
The 25-year-old Australian posted a 6-4 6-2 victory against three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in the third round.
World No.70 Purcell struck seven aces and did not lose serve in the 72-minute encounter.
Maxing out 🤩@MaxPurcell98 at #CincyTennis:
Reaches maiden Masters QF in second Masters appearance ✅
Earns maiden Top-10 win over No.7 Ruud ✅
Next: Alcaraz or Paul! pic.twitter.com/NIA1ntNbdQ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 17, 2023
It is Purcell’s eighth victory from his nine singles matches in the past fortnight. Five of these wins have been against higher-ranked opponents.
His latest victory sets up a final-eight meeting with either world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz or world No.13 Tommy Paul.
This marks the first time in 21 years that two Australian men have progressed to the singles quarterfinals at Cincinnati. Lleyton Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs were the last to achieve this feat in 2002.
In men’s doubles action, John Peers and Croatian partner Nikola Mektic booked their spot in the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 7-5 2-6 [13-11] win against seventh-seeded German pair Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.
World No.40 Peers and world No.24 Mektic, who are teaming up…
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