Purcell wins all-Australian battle to qualify at Cincinnati
Three Australians - Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis - have qualified for an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati, USA, 14 August 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Three Australians – Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis – have qualified at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati this week.
Purcell won a two-hour and 57-minute battle against compatriot Alexei Popyrin to secure his place in the Western & Southern Open main draw.
The 25-year-old Purcell recovered from a 1-4 deficit in the final set, reeling off five consecutive games to secure a 6-7(6) 7-5 6-4 victory against his fifth-seeded compatriot.
Thompson scored a 6-3 6-4 victory against Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler, while Kokkinakis recorded a 5-7 7-6(7) 6-2 win against Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan.
Kokkinakis saved three match points in the second-set tiebreak, fighting back from a 3-6 deficit to beat the world No.68 in a three-hour and six-minute encounter.
They join top-ranked Australian man Alex de Minaur in the 56-player main draw.
Aussies in action – Cincinnati
RESULTS
Men’s qualifying singles, final round
[4] Jordan Thompson (AUS) d Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) 6-3 6-4
Max Purcell (AUS) d [5] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-7(6) 7-5 6-4
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d [11] Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) 5-7 7-6(7) 6-2
[10] Dusan Lajovic (SRB) d Jason Kubler (AUS) 6-4 6-4
COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
Alex de Minaur (AUS) v J.J. Wolf (USA)
[Q] Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [WC] John Isner (USA)
[Q] Max Purcell (AUS) v Lloyd Harris (RSA)
[Q] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
Men’s doubles, first round
[4] Matt Ebden (AUS)/Rohan Bopanna (IND) v Bye
Rinky Hijikata (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v Hubert Hurkacz (POL)/Mate Pavic (CRO)
Max Purcell (AUS)/Andrey Rublev v Lloyd Glasspool (GBR)/Harri Heliovaara (FIN)
John Peers (AUS)/Nikola Mektic (CRO) v Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA)
Women’s doubles, first round
[2] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Elise Mertens (BEL) v Bye
[3] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Bye
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