Australia’s Popyrin flies flag in men’s Olympic singles
Alexei Popyrin has set up a third-round meeting with defending Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev after the Australian eliminated Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka in Paris.
In hot conditions at Roland Garros on Monday Popyrin, the only Australian male left in the singles draw, triumphed 6-4 7-5.
It was the 24-year-old’s second straight win over three-time grand slam champion Wawrinka after beating him in Croatia last year to win his second singles title.
World No.63 Popyrin did plenty of damage with his big serve while he also blasted 14 forehand winners to secure the victory inside 90 minutes.
German Zverev downed Czech Tomas Machac in their second-round clash 6-3 7-5.
The world No.4 won 88 per cent (14/16) of his first-serve points in the first set and then rallied from a break down in the second set to advance after one hour and 35 minutes.Zverev, who struck 24 winners, won the gold medal in singles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, beating Novak Djokovic en route.
Popyrin and Zverev have met twice previously with the German star triumphant on both occasions.
On Monday, Popyrin teamed Alex de Minaur in the men’s doubles but with the Australian No.1 carrying a hip injury they were no match for American duo Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, losing 6-2 6-3.
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