On Day 6 of Roland Garros 2025, Alexei Popyrin seeks to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the second time.
Paris, France, 30 May 2025 | Jackson Mansell
Australia’s last man standing in singles, Alexei Popyrin, vies to continue his Roland Garros 2025 campaign on Friday when he takes on Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
Popyrin enters his third-round clash having already eclipsed his previous-best run at Roland Garros.
He was on track for a straight-sets victory over former top-25 player Yoshihito Nishioka, before the Japanese No.2 retired with a back injury at 7-5 6-4 1-2.
Popyrin was also in cruise control in his second-round match against 2024 Rome Masters semifinalist Alejandro Tabilo. In a comprehensive display from the New South Welshman, Popyrin recorded 37 winners to Tabilo’s 25, while also sending down eight aces to two.
> MORE: Popyrin breaks new ground with Roland Garros win
“Going into the French Open this year, I really felt positive about my game, and I keep saying that because it’s really what I felt like on the practice courts and also during the matches,” the 25-year-old said. “I really feel like I’ve kind of developed my game quite well over the claycourt season, and it’s working quite well this week.”
Popyrin faces another tough test in Borges on Day 6, who prevailed against a hampered Casper Ruud in four sets.
Their match will be screened in Australia on the Nine Network and Stan Sport.
In doubles action, Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal duo Matt Ebden and John Peers look to keep their Stade Roland Garros winning streak alive. On a six-match unbeaten run at the venue, Ebden and Peers face the German pairing of Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner in the last match on Court 13.
It comes after the Australians defeated Frenchmen Kyrian Jacquet and Ugo Blanchet in an opening-round super tiebreak.
Maya Joint seeks to keep her own winning streak alive. Undefeated in their last five doubles matches, Joint and Georgian partner Oksana Kalashnikova next face Rebecca Sramkova and Viktoriya Tomova.
After successfully kickstarting their Roland Garros junior qualifying campaigns yesterday, Tahlia Kokkinis and Cruz Hewitt on Friday each stand one win away from the main draw.
Kokkinis sets up an Australian Open 2025 third-round rematch against British youngster Brooke Black. In their Melbourne Park encounter, Kokkinis utilised her attacking prowess to overcome a first-set deficit and advance to the quarterfinals.
> READ: Jones, Kokkinis progress to final eight at Australian Open 2025
Meanwhile, qualifying No.2 seed Cruz Hewitt continues his pursuit of a main-draw position when he takes on Dutchman Hidde Schoenmakers.
AUSSIES IN ACTION
COMING UP – ROLAND GARROS DAY 6
Men’s singles, third round
[25] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Nuno Borges [POR] – Second match, Court 14
Men’s doubles, second round
[15] Matt Ebden [AUS]/John Peers [AUS] v Jakob Schnaitter [GER]/Mark Wallner [GER] – Last match, Court 13
Women’s doubles, second round
Maya Joint [AUS]/Oksana Kalashnikova [GEO] v Rebecca Sramkova [SLO]/Viktoriya Tomova [BUL] – First match, Court 7 (from 7pm AEST)
Girls’ singles qualifying, second round
[4] Tahlia Kokkinis [AUS] v [11] Brooke Black [GBR] – Last match, CAM Court B
Boys’ singles qualifying, second round
[2] Cruz Hewitt [AUS] v [13] Hidde Schoenmakers [NED] – Third match, CAM Court A
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