Alexei Popyrin SHOCKS Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open
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Alexei Popyrin SHOCKS American star Taylor Fritz as the Sydney-born underdog defeats the number 8 seed in a five-set thriller to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
- Alexei Popyrin delivered another big upset at this year’s Australian Open
- The Sydney-born tennis player eliminated number 8 seed Taylor Fritz in five sets
- The duo starred in an exciting match that Popyrin won 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2
Home wild card Alexei Popyrin has claimed a massive scalp, knocking out world number 9 Taylor Fritz to advance to the third round of the Australian Open for the third time.
Popyrin’s newfound fitness paid big dividends as he pulled back less than 48 hours after a marathon five-setter to produce another thrilling 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-7 ( 6-8) 6-2 victory on Thursday.
The 23-year-old hammered 19 aces and broke serve just once in a thrilling and grueling four-hour, two-minute test of physical and mental will against the in-form eighth seed.
Alexei Popyrin delivered a huge upset at the Australian Open after knocking out Taylor Fritz
Popyrin, who entered the tournament with a wild card, won a five-set thriller on Thursday.
Fritz, a hero of Team USA’s season-opening United Cup triumph in Sydney, sprained his right ankle late in the third set and complained about crowd noise during the fourth when the match faded away
Popyrin, meanwhile, rode the energy of the crowd at John Cain Arena and served brilliantly to take his most impressive win yet at Melbourne Park.
The 23-year-old previously advanced to the last 32 in 2019, when seventh seed Dominic Thiem retired injured, and again in 2020.
American star Fritz is the latest in a swath of stars to be eliminated early on
Also the winner of last year’s Indian Wells Masters 1000, Fritz grabbed his lower right leg late in the third set and called a medical time-out after Popyrin won it to take a two sets to one lead.
Popyrin rallied after failing to convert a match point at the break of the fourth set to break Fritz for the third time, then a fourth, and claim the biggest win of his career.
Popyrin will face another American, world number 89 Ben Shelton, in the third round with a golden opportunity to reach the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time.