Popyrin powers ahead in quest for Canadian double
After an opening-round bye, the 18th-seeded Popyrin was made to work harder than expected but still beat Canadian Nicolas Arseneault, ranked No.636 in the world, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 in their round-of-64 clash in Toronto on Tuesday (local time).
Both players were nearly impenetrable on serve, each pounding down nine aces and having similar first-serve percentages (57 per cent for Popyrin, 60 per cent for Arseneault).
Break points proved almost as elusive as the Sasquatch, with Popyrin managing the only break of the encounter in the second set. It was one of just three break opportunities the Australian generated for the match.
However, Popyrin was even more miserly on his own serve, fending off the only break point Arseneault could manufacture.
The Australian is hoping to secure back-to-back titles in Toronto, having won last year's final 6-2 6-4 against Russia's Andrey Rublev.
Victory in Canada would be a perfect tune-up to next month's final grand slam of the year, the US Open in New York.
While Popyrin safely advanced to the third round in Toronto, compatriot James Duckworth proved no match for third-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
Duckworth put up a good fight in the first set, before Musetti cantered away with the second, clinching a 7-5 6-1 victory.
The Italian was virtually invulnerable on serve, winning 90 per cent of his first deliveries compared with 63 per cent by Duckworth.
Musetti was also much more effective on return, converting three of the nine break points he set up, while not allowing Duckworth to win either of the two chances he had.
Other winners on Tuesday included No.5 seed Holger Rune, of Denmark, No.8 Casper Ruud, of Norway, and 11th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov.
Australia will be looking for more success on Wednesday, when three men will be in action in the second round.
Alex de Minaur, hot off clinching his 10th career title with a three-set win in the final of the Washington Open on Sunday, takes on Argentina's Francisco Comesana.
Christopher O'Connell faces flamboyant Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 23rd seeed, and Aleksandar Vuckic takes on 31st-seeded Brit Cameron Norrie.
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Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. The decathlon competitor was one of 121 members of Australia's Olympic team who defied calls to boycott the 1980 Games despite immense public pressure following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. Mr Hadfield had previously won the Australian championship in 1976 but was not selected for that year's Olympics in Montreal. "When the boycott was called in 1980, it looked like I was going to miss out on my second Olympics in a row," he told AAP. "I was offered a bribe of almost my entire yearly salary not to go. "There was death threats, we were called 'traitors' in the media, family members were spat on." Michelle Ford was just 17 when she won one of Australia's two gold medals at the Moscow Olympics. "We were told to sneak out of the country in case of threats on our team, on our lives - it's quite hard for a teenager to take that," the former swimmer told AAP. 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"That decision - correct as it was - takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete." The Olympians sitting in the public gallery appeared unimpressed, with some gasping during parts of the address. None applauded at its conclusion. Ron McKeon, the father of retired swimming superstar and Australia's most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon, was also one of the 1980 competitors. He and his family used the opportunity to celebrate his achievements as the source of inspiration for their own Olympic journeys. "Dad coached me growing up but never really spoke much about his Olympic experiences," Ms McKeon told AAP. "I couldn't imagine going through that - not having the ongoing support of the country - it would have been a huge struggle. "I'm so proud of him." Death threats, spittle and bribes followed Peter Hadfield after he chose to represent Australia at the Moscow Olympics. 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