China's Wu Yibing edged out the 10th seed Alexei Popyrin in three sets to secure his spot in the men's singles round of 16 at the ATP 500 event in Washington. Popyrin, ranked 24th in the world and no stranger to high-level competition, met Wu on the professional circuit for the first time, making this encounter all the more intriguing.

The opening set was a tight affair, but Wu's nerve held firm at the critical juncture, breaking serve late to clinch the set 7-5. The second set saw Popyrin mount a spirited response. After a tense back-and-forth that reached 5-5, the Australian executed a break and consolidation of serve to mirror the scoreline, taking the set 7-5 and forcing a decider.

The final set became a showcase of Wu's resilience as he repeatedly fought off adversity to seize the momentum. Demonstrating composure beyond his years, the 25-year-old Wu closed out the match 6-3. His reward: a looming challenge against the formidable eighth seed and Russian powerhouse Daniil Medvedev.

Not all Chinese hopes were fulfilled on the men's side, however. Wu's compatriot Buyunchaokete fell short in straight sets against the seventh-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur, succumbing 7-6(5), 6-2.