Brisbane International tennis: Alexei Popyrin goes down to Roman Safiullin, Naomi Osaka bounced
A walking wounded Alexei Popyrin squandered triple match point and cast doubt over his Australian Open fitness, falling in the second round of the Brisbane International.
A walking wounded Alexei Popyrin squandered triple match point and cast doubt over his Australian Open fitness in a rollercoaster Brisbane International second round thriller against Russian world No. 39 Roman Safiullin.
In a pulsating deciding set, Popyrin held five match points on the Safiullin serve but was unable to capitalise despite the Brisbane crowd urging him on to the finish.
It was the story of the day for the world No. 40, who converted just one of 14 break points in the heartbreaking 6-7 (9) 6-4 7-6 (3) defeat.
The Australian No. 2 appeared ready to retire from the match after suffering through an apparent lower back/glute injury in the second set, but rose from the ashes to put himself on the brink of a memorable victory.
Popyrin went blow for blow with Safiullin on Pat Rafter Arena and saved four set points before clinching the first in a lengthy tie-break.
But he was broken in the opening game of the second set and, trailing 2-1, called for a medical time-out.
Popyrin went down the tunnel for treatment on an injury that was at that point unknown. But it quickly became apparent that all was not well with the Aussie.
Safiullin sent down eight aces in the second set as he ran Popyrin around the court, testing his fitness.
Popyrin again called for the trainer at 4-5 for further treatment and returned to the court where Safiullin made quick work of his service game to close out the set.
During the break Popyrin could be seen in lengthy conversation with his box and multiple expletives were heard over the stadium microphones.
Clearly still in discomfort as he walked to the baseline to begin the third set, Popyrin chose to continue the match and began strongly with a powerful service game.
Incredibly he managed to finally break Safiullin’s super serve to take a 3-1 lead in the set, with the Russian clearly confused by Popyrin’s sudden revival.
Safiullin would go on to break back and level the match on-serve, before incredibly seeing off five Popyrin match points across two service games late in the set.
He sent the match into a deciding tie-break where he proved too strong for Popyrin, who was Australia’s top seed and best hope at the Brisbane International.
Had he successfully seen-off Safiullin, the draw would have opened up for him to reach the semi-final stage later in the week.
It was a much better day for Aussie wildcard James Duckworth, who continued his stellar start to 2024 with a gritty three-set victory over world No. 51 Yannick Hanfmann that catapulted him inside the top 100.
Duckworth, 31, was an underdog heading into his second round clash with the German who only a day earlier dispatched fifth seed Sebastian Korda in straight sets on centre court.
The Sydneysider, who had to fight through two stages of qualifying just to feature in the main draw, dropped the first set before finding form to run out a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (2) victor.
Entering the tournament ranked No. 116 in the world, Duckworth’s big wins over Hanfmann and first round rival JJ Wolf shot him up to No. 96 in the live ATP rankings.
He is now one of nine Australians inside the top 100.
Meanwhile, Daria Saville’s Australian Open wildcard hopes are now out of her hands after the former world No. 20 fell 4-6 6-3 4-6 to Anastasia Potapova.
The Aussie served up a frustrating 11 double faults against the world No. 28, bringing an early end to her Brisbane campaign.
Saville on Monday declared she wanted to return to the top 20 and reclaim the title of Aussie No. 1 this year, following her clinical straight-sets victory over Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska in the opening round.
The 29-year-old was sidelined for six months last year with a knee injury that saw her plummet down the WTA rankings to outside the top 200.
There are currently no female Australian players inside the top 100, in large part due to long-term injuries for both Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic.
Current Aussie No. 1 Arina Rodionova sits on the cusp of a maiden top 100 debut, rising to 103 in the live rankings after her shock upset win over 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on Tuesday.
Both Saville and Rodionova are yet to receive an Australian Open wildcard and with just one main draw entry remaining, Brisbane loomed as the proving ground for both players to stake their claims.
Rodionova would seem to now be in the box seat, following Saville’s loss.
‘SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN MELBOURNE’: OSAKA BOWS OUT OF BRISBANE
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka will head to Melbourne earlier than expected but confident she can make an impression at the Australian Open later this month.
Osaka, 26, marked a triumphant return from a 15-month tennis hiatus earlier this week when she saw off Tamara Korpatsch in the first round of the Brisbane International.
But familiar foe and defending Brisbane champion Karolina Pliskova proved too tall a task for the returning Japanese superstar on Wednesday.
In a rematch of the 2020 semi-final, Pliskova came back from a set down to prevail 3-6 7-6 (4) 6-4 on Pat Rafter Arena.
“The week is definitely shorter than I wanted it to be, but overall I think it was a great match and I had a lot of fun,” Osaka said.
“I saw the stats after and my break points could have been better. But I think other than that we both played really well. So, hopefully she says the same thing.”
The two-time Australian Open champion started brightly against the in-form Pliskova, who is a three-time Brisbane International champion.
But Osaka was able to convert just two of 12 break points in the match, while Pliskova banked both of her opportunities.
The Czech No. 16 seed won just one more point than Osaka but that was enough to see her through to the third round.
Osaka said she could not “be too hard” on herself after the performance, given the level of her opponent.
“I feel like I’m pretty good where I am right now,” she said.
“Even the last time I played her, I think I played better today. Well, score-wise at least.
“I feel like, honestly, I think I’m pretty good … it’s her court, you know what I mean? I guess I’ll see what happens in Melbourne.
“I think for me even stepping on the court is a personal win because a couple of weeks ago I was even doubting if I could play with everyone.
“These two matches that I’ve had kind of prove to me that I am doing OK and the year is just going to get better for me.
“Even though it’s super disappointing today, I know that if I keep training and if I keep putting in the work then I’ll eventually get to where I want to be.”
There was no such stumble from No. 1 seed and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who breezed into the third round 6-3 6-0 over Italian Lucia Bronzetti.
Sabalenka, who last year was unbeaten in Australia en route to an Adelaide International title and later her maiden Grand Slam, looked ominous in her 2024 Down Under debut.
The world No. 2 is the favourite to take out the tournament in Brisbane and again looms as one of the major fancies in Melbourne later this month.
AUSSIE PREPARES FOR BATTLE WHICH WILL DIVIDE BRISBANE
Jason Kubler was fighting a fierce first round battle against Aslan Karatsev on Show Court 1 when the roar came from inside Pat Rafter Arena.
He and Karatsev were forced to briefly pause their second set as the crowd next door erupted with delight, signalling Rafael Nadal’s victory over Dominic Thiem.
Both men immediately knew what it meant. The winner would be facing one of the greatest of all time in the next round.
Suddenly the stakes were even higher.
“I think we both definitely knew that Rafa had won and that we were (going to play) Rafa – it was very obvious who won,” Kubler told this masthead ahead of his Thursday night meeting with the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
“We had to stop play a couple of times because of it, in a couple of big moments in our match because the crowd was cheering for Rafa.”
Kubler would go on to lose the second set in a close tie-breaker, however his Russian opponent went down with what looked to be a serious knee injury and was forced to retire from the match.
The stage was then set: Kubler versus Nadal. A Brisbane International second round clash set to divide the tennis diehards.
In Kubler they have the local hope; the Brisbane boy who trained on Pat Rafter Arena for more than a decade.
Then there is Nadal, the two-time Australian Open champion and arguably the most popular player in the sport’s history, who could be playing Down Under for the final time this year.
Kubler heard the cheers. The “Rafa Rafa Rafa, Oi Oi Oi”.
He will command serious home crowd support on Thursday night. But there will undoubtedly be pro-Nadal pockets within Pat Rafter Arena.
“To be honest if they cheer for him or me it’s going to be special regardless,” Kubler said.
“However the match or the crowd happens to be, the occasion is going to be special to me … getting to play Rafa on my home court, so regardless of all the other outside stuff just that alone is special.
“I’m 30 now so any sort of big match against one of the legends of the sport is pretty cool.
“There’s definitely going to be some nerves that’s for sure, because of how great a player he is, but at the same time I honestly believe I have nothing to lose. I can go out there and lose 6-1 6-1 and not many people are going to bat an eye about it.
“I’m just going to go out and enjoy it. I trained here for 10 years of my life so it’s a pretty special moment to play one of the biggest names in our sport on this court.
“Hopefully lots of people can make the occasion even more special. I’m sure it’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
On the comeback trail from a seventh serious knee injury, Kubler is taking it one match at a time as he prepares for the Australian Open.
There is perhaps no sterner fitness test in world tennis than against Nadal.
He enters with no expectations on his shoulders – and that’s the way he likes it.
If there was ever a time to strike down one of the winningest players in tennis history, Thursday night in front of a sold out Pat Rafter Arena would be it.
“If I won the match it would definitely be the biggest occasion,” Kubler said.
“I don’t think it would be much bigger than that, beating one of the best players ever. Even if it was in a practice match it would still be one of the biggest moments. So yeah, I guess if I did win it would be the biggest win ever.”
SAVILLE’S AUS OPEN HOPES IN JEOPARDY
Daria Saville’s Australian Open wildcard hopes are now out of her hands after the former world No. 20 fell 4-6 6-3 4-6 to Anastasia Potapova at the Brisbane International on Wednesday.
The Aussie served up a frustrating 11 double faults against the world No. 28, bringing an early end to her Brisbane campaign.
Saville on Monday declared she wanted to return to the top 20 and reclaim the title of Aussie No. 1 this year, following her clinical straight-sets victory over Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska in the opening round.
The 29-year-old was sidelined for six months last year with a knee injury that saw her plummet down the WTA rankings to outside the top 200.
There are currently no female Australian players inside the top 100, in large part due to long-term injuries for both Saville and Ajla Tomljanovic.
Current Aussie No. 1 Arina Rodionova sits on the cusp of a maiden top 100 debut, rising to 103 in the live rankings after her shock upset win over 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on Tuesday.
Both Saville and Rodionova are yet to receive an Australian Open wildcard and with just one main draw entry remaining, Brisbane loomed as the proving ground for both players to stake their claims.
Rodionova would seem to now be in the box seat, following Saville’s loss on Wednesday.
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