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Australian qualifier James Duckworth has won his fourth match at the Brisbane International to storm into the quarter-finals and back into the world's top 100.
There's been joy for James Duckworth at the Brisbane International, but only despair for fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin.
Duckworth is set to return to the world's top 100 after charging into his first ATP Tour 250 quarter-final since Newport in July, 2022.
The 31-year-old continued his impressive run from qualifying with a 4-6 6-1 7-6 (7-2) second-round victory over Yannick Hanfmann on Wednesday.
The plucky victory reversed a three-set loss to the German at the Shanghai Masters in October and guaranteed at least one home hope in the last eight of the Australian Open lead-up event.
But it won't be Popyrin, who let a huge third-set lead and five match points slip in a gut-wrenching 6-7 (11-9) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) defeat to Roman Safiullin.
Popyrin had the Russian staring down the barrel trailing 2-5 and 0-40 in the deciding set.
But after failing to convert any of those three match points, Popyrin missed two more when Safiullin was serving at 5-6 and desperately trying to hang on.
Adding insult to an apparent leg injury, the Australian No.2 also only managed to cash in one of 14 break-point chances in an explosive encounter featuring 36 aces between the combatants.
Safiullin, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year who is ranked just one spot above Popyrin at No.39 in the world, eventually prevailed after a titanic tussle stretching almost three hours.
Popyrin's exit leaves Rinky Hijikata, Jordan Thompson and Jason Kubler all trying to join Duckworth in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Kubler has a dream date with the great Rafael Nadal, Thompson plays French fourth seed Ugo Humbert and Hijikata has a golden opportunity against Czech qualifier Tomas Machac.
Like Kubler, Duckworth will be thrust firmly into the spotlight on Friday when he's pitted against Danish top seed Holger Rune for a place in the semi-finals.
Either way, Duckworth is guaranteed to rise at least 20 spots in the rankings next Monday from world No.116 to a provisional standing of 96th.
