Bernard Tomic has avoided a potential all-Australian grudge match with Lleyton Hewitt's pupil Alexei Popyrin after pulling out of their second-round qualifying clash at the Mexican Open.
Popyrin, who played doubles with Hewitt last week at the New York Open, booked his spot in the ATP 500 event's main draw in a walkover as Tomic retired pre-match reportedly citing gastroenteritis.
A bitter war of words erupted between the former world No.14 Tomic and two-time grand slam champion Hewitt at last month's Australian Open.
Ironically, Tomic gifted Popyrin a place in the 32-man field on his mentor's 38th birthday.
Hewitt doesn't appear to be in Acapulco to watch Popyrin as he did during the 19-year-old's run to the Australian Open third round.
The Davis Cup captain posted a video on social media of son Cruz serving on Friday from Albany, Bahamas, where Hewitt runs a tennis academy.
It's the second straight occasion Popyrin has benefited from a retirement after leading Roberto Ortega Olmedo by a set when the Spaniard pulled the pin in their first-round qualifier.
Popyrin now joins fellow Hewitt protege Alex de Minaur, eighth seed John Millman, Jordan Thompson and Nick Kyrgios in the Acapulco draw.
