Popyrin blitz sinks Fritz, Stosur retires with doubles loss, Novak slams ‘judgemental and incorrect’ declare


An emotion-charged Alexei Popyrin has set his sights on going “all the way in which” after claiming a large scalp, knocking out world No.9 Taylor Fritz to advance to the Australian Open third spherical for a 3rd time.

Popyrin’s new-found health paid enormous dividends as he backed up lower than 48 hours after a five-set marathon to provide one other stirring 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 win on Thursday.

The 23-year-old wildcard hammered 19 aces and dropped serve solely as soon as in an exciting and gruelling four-hour, two-minute check of bodily and psychological will in opposition to the in-form eighth seed.

Popyrin, who slipped to 113 within the rankings following a troublesome 2022 season, upset world No.6 Felix Auger-Aliassime on his technique to the Adelaide Worldwide quarter-finals this month. He joined in native followers’ chants of “Poppy! Poppy!” as tears flowed after his newest shock.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 17: Alexei Popyrin of Australia plays a backhand in their round one singles match against Chun-Hsin Tseng of Taiwan during day two of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 17, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)

Alexei Popyrin. (Picture by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Photos)

“This win means a lot to me,” Popyrin mentioned. “I had the hardest yr final yr. I didn’t win many matches. I’ve gained as many matches this yr as I gained final yr and it’s solely January.”

Popyrin mentioned his sturdy pre-season preparation had given him perception and the bodily functionality to keep the course all through his opening two matches.

“I put my head down and labored as laborious as I presumably may,” he mentioned. “I don’t need that feeling that I had final yr ever once more.

“That I wrote all the way down to myself in my head and I’m going to maintain working, hold pushing and I’m going to attempt to hold going all the way in which, man. I like this sense and I need extra of this sense.”

Fritz damage his proper ankle late within the third set and complained about crowd noise throughout the fourth. Popyrin beforehand superior to the final 32 in 2019, when seventh seed Dominic Thiem retired damage, and once more in 2020.

Fritz referred to as a medical timeout after Popyrin gained the third set to storm to a two-sets-to-one lead. Popyrin regrouped after failing to transform a match level within the fourth-set tiebreaker to interrupt Fritz for a 3rd time, then a fourth, and declare the largest win of his profession.

Popyrin will tackle one other American, world No.89 Ben Shelton, within the third spherical with a golden alternative to achieve the second week of a grand slam for the primary time.

Sam comes up brief in doubles farewell

Samantha Stosur’s embellished doubles profession is nearly over following a first-round exit from the Australian Open with Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.

The retiring nice and Cornet misplaced 6-3 6-4 to the Chinese language-Taiwanese pairing of Zhaoxuan Yang and Hao-Ching Chan on Thursday.

Stosur, who’s quitting skilled tennis after the Open, stays alive within the combined doubles with fellow Australian Matt Ebden.

However the 38-year-old gained’t be including a fifth grand slam girls’s crown to her assortment after making the decision to stroll away from the touring life to spend extra time along with her household and two-year-old daughter Evie.

“I nonetheless love competing. I like enjoying in entrance of you guys,” Stosur informed followers on Kia Area.

“A crowd like this makes it really feel unusual that you simply don’t need to do it anymore however you get to a degree the place the opposite issues grow to be a bit of harder and I’ve liked my run, travelling, enjoying, doing every little thing I’ve been in a position to do.

“I wished to complete right here at house. I wished to complete in Melbourne. And this yr was it. So, yeah, it’s bittersweet, however thank you all for popping out right here. It’s been actually particular.”

Stosur gained the Australian Open girls’s doubles in 2019 with Zhang Shaui, in addition to the combined title at Melbourne Park manner again in 2005 with countryman Scott Draper.

The 2011 US Open singles champion additionally claimed grand slam girls’s doubles titles on the 2006 French Open and at Flushing Meadows in 2005 and 2021 and spent 61 weeks atop the doubles rankings throughout her profession. 

Djokovic hits out at ‘judgemental and incorrect’ rest room break declare

Novak Djokovic has slammed Australian Open broadcaster Eurosport over a declare the nine-time match champion took an unlawful rest room break throughout his first-round win on Tuesday evening.

Halfway via his 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 win over Roberto Carballes Baena, Djokovic abruptly departed Rod Laver Area, regardless of not having a break to make use of.

Commentators and former Australian tennis greats John Fitzgerald and Mark Woodforde steered on air he might need ‘pulled rank’, and that lesser gamers wouldn’t be permitted to take action.

I feel he’s really simply pulled rank there as properly. I feel the official was attempting to drag him again,” Woodforde mentioned on 9.

Nonetheless, after worldwide broadcaster Eurosport printed a Tweet of the incident, Djokovic took to Instagram to provide his aspect of the story – and blast the community for his or her reporting.

“Eurosport please get your informations [sic] checked earlier than you submit one thing judgmental and incorrect,” Djokovic wrote on his story.

“Chair umpire allowed me to go to rest room however she informed me I don’t have rest room break, simply change over break. So she informed me (you didn’t seize that with digicam) I needed to hurry up.

“After I virtually exited the courtroom she referred to as me (I didn’t hear) and it was to inform me that rest room was on the alternative aspect of the courtroom.

“I discovered one the place I went additionally, and I needed to be fast due to the time. I didn’t “defy” her or the principles. She gave me permission and informed me to be fast.

“Subsequent time be aware with what you submit. You’ve got accountability in the direction of many sport followers that comply with your web page @eurosport.”

Sabalenka serves up Open warning

Aryna Sabalenka has continued her flawless begin to the summer season to roar into the Australian Open third spherical at Melbourne Park.

The world No.5 preserved her document of not dropping a set in six matches this yr with a 6-3 6-1 trouncing of harmful American Shelby Rogers.

The massive-hitting Rogers, a former grand slam conqueror of Ash Barty, threatened a boilover early when she raced to a 3-1 lead on Rod Laver Area.

However Sabalenka reeled off 5 straight video games to grab the second set earlier than working away with the matches in a single hour, 27 minutes on Thursday.

Considerably, in addition to showcasing the firepower that helped the Belarusian to final yr’s season-ending championship remaining in Texas and to this month’s Adelaide Worldwide title, there have been no indicators of the serving yips which have undermined Sabalenka’s progress on the massive levels.

Sabalenka mentioned two tight wins over Rogers final season steeled her focus for Thursday’s newest encounter with the world No.51.

“She’s such an excellent participant. She at all times play actually quick and he or she put me below stress,” Sabalenka mentioned. “At this time I anticipated an excellent degree from right here. That’s why I stayed centered ’til the tip. That’s why I used to be most likely in a position to win this in two units. However at all times robust matches in opposition to her.”

The Open title chaser will play both Belgian twenty sixth seed Elise Mertens or Hobart Worldwide winner Lauren Davis subsequent on Saturday.

Felix able to pounce after Nadal exit

Precocious Canadian expertise Felix Auger-Aliassime seems to be completely positioned to make a run deep into the Australian Open, coming again from two units down in opposition to Alex Molcan to guide his spot within the third spherical.

The highest half of the draw was blown extensive open on Wednesday following Rafael Nadal’s dramatic loss to American journeyman Mackenzie McDonald after the 22-time main winner suffered a hip damage.

Sixth-seeded Auger-Aliassime is among the many contenders in finest place to benefit from Nadal’s shock exit, together with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner.

However the Canadian needed to do it the laborious manner in opposition to Molcan, dropping the primary two units earlier than lifting to win 15 of the final 19 video games in a 3-6 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 triumph in opposition to the increasingly-frustrated Slovakian.

“After I gained the third set I obtained much more self-belief,” mentioned Auger-Aliassime. “I’m more than happy to get it carried out. It was a tricky day for me.”

Auger-Aliassime will subsequent play No.28 seed Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina, who beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 3-6 6-4 6-2 7-5.

Italian Sinner loved a way more snug path into the third spherical, needing simply one hour, 44 minutes to see off the problem of Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 6-2 6-2.

The fifteenth seed has made a flying begin to the opening grand slam of the yr, dropping simply 13 video games in complete in his two wins over Britain’s Kyle Edmund and Etcheverry.

“I’m very joyful to be within the subsequent spherical,” mentioned the 21-year-old Sinner, who’s co-coached by Australian Darren Cahill. “I’m very joyful to play once more on this courtroom with the roof, particularly because it’s raining outdoors. I served properly and in addition returned properly at the moment.”

Sinner will play Marton Fucsovics from Hungary within the spherical of 32. 

Greece’s No.3 seed Tsitsipas and No.16 seed Francis Tiafoe, from america, additionally superior in complete trend.

Tsitsipas breezed previous native fan favorite Rinky Hijikata 6-3 6-0 6-2, whereas Tiafoe crushed Chinese language qualifier Shang Jungcheng 6-4 6-4 6-1.

Tsitsipas will face Dutch participant Tallon Griekspoor within the third spherical, with Tiafoe set to tackle 18th seed Karen Khachanov.

No.7 seed Medvedev accounted for Australian veteran John Millman 7-5 6-2 6-2 to arrange a gathering with twenty ninth seed Sebastian Korda, who beat Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-2 7-5 6-4.



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