Rome, Italy, 12 May 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Alexei Popyrin has impressively kept his unbeaten record against top-10 opponents this season in tact.

The 23-year-old Australian qualifier posted a hard-fought 6-4 4-6 7-5 win against world No.10 Felix Auger-Aliassime in second-round action today at the Italian Open.

Popyrin, who needed three hours and 17 minutes to overcome his Canadian opponent, finished the match with 36 winners.

HUGE WIN! ✅

Popyrin takes out No.10 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in a 3 hour clash 6-4 4-6 7-5!@InteBNLdItalia | #IBI23 pic.twitter.com/tKJF09mNmM

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 12, 2023

It is Popyrin’s fifth career top-10 victory and third this season.

The world No.77 also defeated Auger-Aliassime at Adelaide in January, before overcoming world No.9 Taylor Fritz in a memorable five-set battle at the Australian Open.

He is the only player currently ranked outside the ATP Tour’s top 20 to boast three top-10 wins this season.

This latest victory propels Popyrin into the third round at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for only the fourth time in his career – and for the first time since the Paris Masters in November 2021.

His third-round opponent will be Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, who eliminated No.22-seeded American Sebastian Korda in the second round.

World No.103 Safiullin defeated Popyrin in a three-set battle in their only previous meeting at Marseille last year.

The in-form Popyrin, who has now won nine of his 13 matches on European clay this season, was the sole Australian winner in Rome today.

Jannik Sinner dominated in a 6-1 6-4 victory against Thanasi Kokkinakis, with the eighth-seeded Italian conceding just three points on serve in their 78-minute encounter.

Meanwhile, Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics scored a 6-3 6-4 win against 17th-seeded Alex de Minaur.

Aussies in action – Rome

RESULTS
Men’s singles, second round
[Q] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d [10] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 6-4 4-6 7-5
[8] Jannik Sinner (ITA) d [Q] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-1 6-4
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) d [17] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 6-3 6-4

COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
Jason Kubler (AUS) v [31] Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)

Men’s singles, third round
[Q] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [Q] Roman Safiullin

> VIEW: Italian Open men’s singles draw

Men’s doubles, first round
[7] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v [WC] Federico Arnaboldi (ITA)/Gianmarco Ferrari (ITA)
John Peers (AUS)/Nathaniel Lammons (USA) v [6] Lloyd Glasspool (GBR)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN)

Men’s doubles, second round
Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v TBC

> VIEW: Italian Open men’s doubles draw

Women’s doubles, second round
[4] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Elise Mertens (BEL) v TBC

> VIEW: Italian Open women’s doubles draw

Book online, play today: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!