US Open: Popyrin eases through to third round, to face Djokovic in third Slam this year

Australian Alexei Popyrin, the No 28 seed, advanced to the third round of the US Open by defeating Spaniard Pedro Martinez Portero 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 on Wednesday.

The Cincinnati champion, ranked No 28, will play second seed Novak Djokovic next. Popyrin faced the Serb at this year’s Australian Open (defeated 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in the second round) and Wimbledon (defeated in another tight four-setter 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) in the third round).

The Australian won against SoonWoo Kwon (7-5, 6-2, 6-3) in the previous round of the US Open.

In the previous round of the US Open, Martinez Portero, ranked No 43, beat Pole qualifier Maks Kasnikowski (6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (6)).

New York (Grand Slam), other second-round results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 75.000.000, most recent results first):

• Carlos Alcaraz vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
• Fabian Marozsan vs. Daniil Medvedev
• Max Purcell vs. Tommy Paul
• Mariano Navone vs. Daniel Evans
• Tristan Schoolkate vs. Jakub Mensik
• Arthur Fils vs. Gabriel Diallo
• Alex De Minaur vs. Otto Virtanen
• David Goffin vs. Adrian Mannarino
• Facundo Diaz Acosta vs. Jack Draper
• Flavio Cobolli vs. Zizou Bergs
• Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Nuno Borges
• Jannik Sinner vs. Alex Michelsen
• Jordan Thompson vs. Hubert Hurkacz
• Matteo Arnaldi vs. Roman Safiullin
• Tomas Machac vs. Sebastian Korda
• Mattia Bellucci vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Laslo Djere vs. Novak Djokovic
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Taylor Fritz
• Casper Ruud vs. Gael Monfils
• Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Lorenzo Musetti: wednesday
• Ben Shelton vs. Roberto Bautista Agut: wednesday
• Roberto Carballes Baena vs. Juncheng Shang: wednesday
• Ugo Humbert vs. Francisco Comesana: wednesday
• Andrey Rublev vs. Arthur Rinderknech: wednesday
• Frances Tiafoe (20) beat Alexander Shevchenko: 6-4, 6-1, 1-0 ret.
• Alexander Zverev (4) beat Alexandre Muller (WC): 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-1
• Brandon Nakashima beat Arthur Cazaux: 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
• Tallon Griekspoor beat Sebastian Baez (21): 6-1, 2-0 ret.
• Grigor Dimitrov (9) beat Rinky Hijikata: 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (4)
• Jiri Lehecka (32) beat Mitchell Krueger (Q): 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5
• Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Francisco Cerundolo (29): 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3