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Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson sizzle at US Open as Aussie slammed over 'pathetic' act

Max Purcell's match against Tommy Paul ended abruptly amid bizarre scenes.

andrew reid
·5-min read

Tennis fans have turned on Max Purcell after the Australian's bizarre retirement against Tommy Paul, while two sets down against the American at the US Open. It came on a superb day for Purcell's compatriots, with Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson and Chris O'Connell all winning through to the third round to complete a stunning 27-year first for Australia.

Purcell was unable to make it a quartet of Aussie victories on Friday (AEST), but it was the manner of his defeat against local hope Paul that left a bad taste in the mouths of viewers. The 26-year-old doubles specialist was two-sets-to-love and 1-0 down against the American 14th seed when he suddenly pulled the pin and decided he could play no further part.

From left to right, Alex de Minaur, Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson at the US Open.
Alex de Minaur (left) and Jordan Thompson (right) both won their second round matches at the US Open, with Max Purcell copping backlash over his retirement. Pic: Getty

The Aussie had just lost 10 straight games and was being dominated by Paul, who handed the hapless Purcell a 'bagel' in a lopsided second set. The American kept his momentum going by winning the opening game of the third set before Purcell left onlookers stunned after calling an abrupt end to proceedings.

The Aussie hadn't appeared to be struggling physically during the first two sets and didn't call a medical timeout or for the assistance of a trainer. And the crowd at Flushing Meadows let their feelings known as boos rang out from the stands, with tennis fans branding the scenes "unprofessional" and "pathetic" and some calling for Purcell to be fined.

The ugly drama came after de Minaur and Thompson both scored superb victories to ensure Australia has four men in the last 32 at the US Open for the first time since 1997. Thompson claimed the biggest scalp of the tournament and one of the biggest in his career after sending world No.7 Hubert Hurkacz packing with a stunning 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 7-5 upset.

Hurkacz - who famously ended Roger Federer's glittering Wimbledon career - raced away to a 5-2 lead and looked control in the opening set. But proudly decked out in the green and gold colours of Australia, Thompson stepped up to force the opener into a tiebreak that he won comfortably. Thompson kept the momentum going to steamroll his Czech opponent in the second, before completing the job in a tense third set to send the seventh-seeded Hurkacz packing, 7-6 (7/2) 6-1 7-5.

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"A good day at the office," Thompson said after his stunning upset. "Down early in the first, he served for the first set and he's got one of the best serves on tour. So to turn it around like I did was pretty impressive, even if I say so myself." Thompson next faces Italian world No.30 Matteo Arnaldi and could meet de Minaur in the fourth round, if both men win their third round matches.

De Minaur secured his spot in the next round despite also trailing 5-2 in the first set against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen. The Aussie was playing just his second match in seven weeks after returning from injury and recovered from the early deficit to see off Virtanen 7-5 6-1 7-6 (7-3).

Alex de Minaur is part of an impressive contingent of Aussies through to the third round at the US Open. Pic: Getty
Alex de Minaur is part of an impressive contingent of Aussies through to the third round at the US Open. Pic: Getty

The 10th seed conceded after his four-set tournament opener on Tuesday he was playing less than 100 per cent fit and without his usual movement having been sidelined since Wimbledon with a hip injury. But after coming back to claim the opener, de Minaur reeled off seven straight games to take a stranglehold on the match. The Aussie came through a tiebreaker in the third to secure victory and set up a a third-round showdown against either Dan Evans, who beat Mariano Navone in straight sets.

Fellow Aussie O'Connell earned a show-court crack at World No.1 Jannik Sinner after a four-set victory over Italian Mattia Bellucci. O'Connell backed up his first-round upset over 26th seed Nicolas Jarry with another fine display to down Bellucci 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3. West Australian wildcard Tristan Schoolkate threatened to become the fourth Aussie male to advance on Friday but went down to Czech Jakub Mensik in a five-set nailbiter. And Thanasi Kokkinakis couldn't capitalise on his epic first-round upset of 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas after going down to Portugal's Nuno Borges in straight sets.

with AAP