Alexei Popyrin continues hot run at Roland-Garros with victory over Nuno Borges

Alexei Popyrin charged into the final 16 at Roland-Garros in a hard fought straight sets victory over Portugal's Nuno Borges.

The country's No.2 player is the last man standing after Alex de Minaur exited in a shock loss to Alexander Bublik, and continued his stellar run in Paris without losing a set, downing Borges 6-4, 7-6 (13-11), 7-6 (7-5) in steamy conditions on Court 14.

The most crucial part of the match came in the second set when the world No.25 and Borges traded breaks in the tie-break, with Popyrin eventually securing the frame 13-11.

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He squandered a set point at 5-3 and twice served for the set only to come up with errors on crucial points.

"That second set breaker was probably the the most important part of the match, and I'm just really happy with the way that I kind of stuck in it and and served really well towards the end," Popyrin told Stan Sport's Duncan McKenzie-McHarg for Grand Slam Daily.

"It was really critical and I knew that at the, while we were playing that second set breaker that it was very, very important to get that two sets to love lead, because if it goes to one set all, then it's a really difficult match again.

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"He's got the momentum on his side and who knows what the result would have been."

Borges was coming off five straight five-set matches, resulting in eight hours on court.

Popyrin has had the pleasure now of winning his first three matches in three hours.

"It was a really good match from my point. Happy I wrapped it up in three sets. It's really hot out there, really difficult conditions," Popyrin added.

"I played the first set-and-a-half really, really solid, how I've been playing all week, had a bit of a mental slip-up at the end of the second, but managed to dig deep in the tiebreak.

"The third set was more a mental battle than a physical battle on my side trying to hold serve, and then trying to get opportunities on his return, which I had towards the end. But still managed to kind of keep my head and still play well in the tiebreak."

Popyrin now joins fellow Australians Mark Philippoussis (2000), Wayne Arthurs (2001), Lleyton Hewitt (2000-02, 2004, 2006-07) and Alex de Minaur (2024) as the only other Aussies to make it to the final 16 at Roland-Garros.

"We all expected Demon to be in the fourth round," admitted Popyrin.

"I don't think I could have thought that - Alex is probably the most consistent player on tour - but that's the case now.

"I'm only focusing on myself. I want to keep going as far as I can, that's all I'm thinking."

He will play American Tommy Paul next.