Dubai Open: Cilic fights back to edge out Popyrin and reach last eight

Marin Cilic reached the quarter-finals of the Dubai Open by edging out Australian Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre.

It is the Croat’s second win in 205 having only played three matches so far this season following a promising resurgence late last year when he won his 21st career title in Hangzhou.

After two years decimated by a recurrent knee injury and several lengthy spells away from the sport, Cilic returned to win in China, before further setbacks hampered his comeback.

An opening loss of the year to Carlos Alcaraz in Doha preceded a promising return this week in Dubai, with the veteran now having won both of his matches against top 30 players in Alex De Minaur and now Popyrin.

The 36-year-old Croat lost the first set late on, before a single break in each of the second and third sets swung a tight contest for Cilic and ensure he reached his first ATP quarter-final since that title run in Hangzhou last September.

Cilic, ranked No 187, will face the winner of the match between Portuguese Nuno Borges and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime next.

The 36-year-old Croat defeated Australian Alex De Minaur, the second seed (6-2, 3-6, 6-3) in the previous round of the Dubai tournament.

In the previous round of the Dubai tournament, Popyrin, ranked No 27, won against Lebanese wildcard Hady Habib (6-2, 6-4).

Dubai ATP 500, other second-round results (Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 3.237.670, most recent results first):

• Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Karen Khachanov
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Christopher O’Connell
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
• Roberto Bautista Agut vs. Quentin Halys
• Luca Nardi vs. Zizou Bergs
• Tallon Griekspoor vs. Ugo Humbert
• Nuno Borges vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime: wednesday