James Duckworth has advanced to his career-first quarterfinal at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
The 29-year-old continued his sensational run at the Paris Masters to defeat compatriot Alexei Popyrin in an all-Aussie third-round clash today.
After a tight opening set, Duckworth stepped up the pressure on his 22-year-old opponent and raced to a 4-0 second-set lead.
Popyrin kept fighting and reeled off four consecutive games, but in the end couldn't stop Duckworth from powering to a fifth win from his past six matches against a fellow Australian.
After a one-hour and 46-minute tussle, Duckworth served out a 7-6(6) 6-4 victory.
Duckworth becomes the first Australian to reach an ATP Masters 1000 singles quarterfinal since Matthew Ebden at Shanghai in 2018.
The in-form Aussie has now won 15 of his past 20 matches and is projected to be rewarded with a top-50 debut next week.
But for now, the world No.55's focus is firmly on a quarterfinal meeting with seventh-seeded Pole Hubert Hurkacz. It will be Duckworth's first career meeting with the world No.10.
Aussies in action - Paris
RESULTS
Men's singles, third round
James Duckworth (AUS) d [LL] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 7-6(6) 6-4
COMING UP
Men's singles, quarterfinals
James Duckworth (AUS) v [7] Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
Men's doubles, quarterfinals
[6] John Peers (AUS)/Filip Polasek (SVK) v Sander Gille (BEL)/Joran Vliegen (BEL)