Barcelona, Spain, 21 April 2021 | Leigh Rogers

BARCELONA, SPAIN

Jordan Thompson has scored a memorable and hard-fought victory on his 27th birthday.

The world No.59 battled for three hours and 17 minutes against France’s Richard Gasquet, before closing out a 7-6(5) 4-6 7-6(3) win in the opening round of an ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.

Gasquet, the world No.52, even held two match points late in the match.

Thompson, who fired 10 aces in the win, showed steely nerves under pressure to set-up a second-round showdown with sixth seed Pablo Carreno Busta.

John Peers and Luke Saville were also winners, progressing to the doubles quarterfinals with a straight-sets win.

https://twitter.com/bcnopenbs/status/1384550381498273800?s=20

Aussies in action – Barcelona

TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
Jordan Thompson (AUS) d Richard Gasquet (FRA) 7-6(5) 4-6 7-6(3)

Men’s doubles, first round
John Peers (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) d Marcelo Melo (BRA)/Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) 6-1 6-4

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
[14] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Alexander Bublik (KAZ)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [6] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
John Peers (AUS)/Luke Saville (AUS) v Kevin Krawietz (GER)/Horia Tecau (ROU)

BELGRADE, SERBIA

Alexei Popyrin saved four match points in his opening-round win at an ATP 250 tournament in Belgrade.

The 21-year-old Australian showed incredible grit in his 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(6) victory against Argentine qualifier Francisco Cerundolo.

Popyrin recovered from a 0-3 deficit in the deciding set and saved a match point at 4-5, a further two at 5-6 and one in a tense final tiebreak.

It is the third time this season Popyrin has saved match points in a tour-level victory, having saved six against Borna Gojo at the Melbourne Summer Series and four against David Goffin at the Australian Open.

Aussies in action – Belgrade

TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d [Q] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(6)

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
[7] John Millman (AUS) v [LL] Taro Daniel (JPN)
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [Q] Gianluca Mager (ITA)

Men’s doubles, first round
John Millman (AUS)/John-Patrick Smith (AUS) v Marcelo Demoliner (BRA)/Santiago Gonzalez (MEX)

STUTTGART, GERMANY

Top seed Ash Barty is in action tonight at a WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart.

Barty, who is contesting her first European red clay event since winning Roland Garros in 2019, plays German Laura Siegemund.

Aussies in action – Stuttgart

COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
[1] Ash Barty v Laura Siegemund (GER)

Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
Ash Barty (AUS)/Jennifer Brady (USA) v TBC