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.


Monday 14 August 2023
Leigh Rogers
Cincinnati, USA
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 8:  Max Purcell of Australia hits a shot against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada during Day Two of the National Bank Open, part of the Hologic ATP Tour, at Sobeys Stadium on August 8, 2023 in Toronto, Canada.  (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

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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