Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 18 April 2023 | Vivienne Christie

Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Alexei Popyrin has started strong at the inaugural ATP 250 tournament in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, with the Australian advancing over No.5 seed Tallon Griekspoor in two tiebreak sets.

Popyrin, who is ranked almost 50 places below No.34 Griekspoor, required two hours and 12 minutes to record his 7-6(4) 7-6(4) win.

It continues some confidence-boosting progress for Popyrin, who launched the 2023 season with wins over top-10 opponents Felix Auger-Aliassime in Adelaide and Taylor Fritz in the Australian Open second round.

Popyrin came through qualifying to reach the second round of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, helping restore his ranking to world No.81 after a dip outside the top 100.

There was a further boost in Popyrin’s solid win over Griekspoor in Banja Luka, with neither player surrendering serve throughout the first-round match.

Griekspoor defended seven break points, while Popryin survived three and maintained composure at the business end as he edged ahead in each deciding tiebreak.

The 23-year-old Popyrin next faces left-hander Alex Molcan. It will be his first ATP-level match against the world No.73 from Slovakia.

Aussies in action – Banja Luka

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d [5] Tallon Griekspoor (NED) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Alex Molcan (SVK)

Munich, Germany

Jordan Thompson experienced a challenging start to his clay-court season, with the Australian eliminated by Italian qualifier Flavio Cobolli in the first round of the ATP 250 tournament in Munich.

Sydneysider Chris O’Connell will face Ugo Humbert in the first round of Munich, while fellow Australian John Peers is competing alongside Bruno Melo in doubles.

Aussies in action – Munich

RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[Q] Flavio Cobolli (ITA) d Jordan Thompson (AUS) 7-5 6-1

COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
Christopher O’Connell (AUS) v Ugo Humbert (FRA)

Men’s doubles, first round
[4] Bruno Melo (BRA)/John Peers (AUS) v TBC (alternate)

Barcelona, Spain

Fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Alex de Minaur are yet to play their opening matches at the ATP 500 Barcelona event.

Kubler faces wildcard Daniel Rincon in the first round, while the eighth-seeded De Minaur receives a first-round bye.

Aussies in action – Barcelona 

COMING UP 
Men’s singles, first round
Jason Kubler (AUS) v [WC] Daniel Rincon (ESP)

Men’s singles, second round
[8] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v  TBC

Men’s doubles, first round
[4] Nikola Mektic (CRO)/Mate Pavic (CRO) v Rohan Bopanna (IND)/Matt Ebden (AUS) 
Alex de Minuar (AUS)/Jannik Sinner (ITA) v Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) /Eduoard Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

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