Alexei Popyrin will face a tough challenge on Sunday at the Miami Open Championship presented by Itau, when he plays World No. 2 and top seed Daniil Medvedev in the third round. The Russian star has a lot of respect for the 21-year-old Aussie.
“He’s a good player. I wonder [he is] still young, still coming up. Big strokes, great service. A baseline player is strong, but he can go to the net, beating winners from all corners of the court, ”said Medvedev. “This is going to be a tough game. Looking forward to it. ”
Before competing at the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, ATPTour.com takes a look at five things to know about Popyrin, the 2017 Roland Garros boys singles champion.
He won his first ATP tour title earlier this year
Entering the Singapore Open Tennis Championship, Popyrin had only reached one semi-final of the ATP Tournament, and that came two years ago in Atlanta. But the Aussie played his best tennis at the ATP 250 to claim his first crown at tour level.
In the semi-finals, Popyrin outscored former World Marin Cilic before finishing his forward run with a backhand victory against Alexander Bublik in the final.
“It feels incredible,” Popyrin said. “It took a lot of sacrifice, a lot of hard work and a lot of hard work into this from me, my team and my whole family. I have made it for everyone involved. I am so proud to be able to achieve it. ”
Popyrin first made his mark in Melbourne, where he succeeded
The then-eight-year-old Aussie was in the stands when countryman Lleyton Hewitt defeated Marcos Baghdatis in an anthology at the 2008 Australian Open which ended at 4:33 am Little did Popyrin know it would be 11 years later Melbourne Park.
As a 19-year-old ranking World No. 149, reached the third round of the 2019 Australian Open. Popyrin defeated Mischa Zverev and overtook Dominic Thiem before pushing Lucas Pouille to five sets in a maze. The Frenchman made the semi-finals that year.
That wasn’t a one-time run for Popyrin, however, as he repeated the feat in 2020 by defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jaume Munar to make the third round. to do. Although the home favorite could not win the third consecutive round in Melbourne this year, he saved four game points in a five-set victory against second-placed David Goffin at Nitto ATP Finals in victory in the first round.
The Aussie is grateful for the sacrifices of his family
When Popyrin was 12, he played Tennis Europe youth events. His family rented seven seats on which they traveled in for three or four months playing tournaments. Aussie parents, sister, brother and grandmother got into the car.
“We would all be in that car and we would just travel from Italy to Slovakia to Slovenia to Spain to France to those places, all together in that one car,” Popyrin said. “That is the sacrifice that everyone made for me. My parents and my whole family are the most influential people in my life. “
Alexei Is A Damian Lillard Fan, Loves Everton FC
If you see Popyrin sporting Portland TrailBlazers gear, don’t be surprised. At 13, he started watching NBA videos on YouTube and grew up to enjoy the sport. Damian Lillard, one of the biggest stars in the NBA, has grown to become his favorite player.
“I have not been one of those seeking glory to find a team that has won awards as easily as the best team in the league. I was just trying to find my team and Damian Lillard came in, ”said Popyrin. “This is my favorite player and they have been my favorite team. I think even though it leaves me to still support Portland. ”
Popyrin has followed football for almost his entire life, and remembers watching the 2006 World Cup, when Tim Cahill played well for Australia. Popyrin became a fan of the Cahill club team, Everton FC
“I wanted to find a team to support him and he was my favorite player,” Popyrin said. “I told him I was and it’s good that we’re communicating because it was one of my images growing up.”
He has lived in several countries
Popyrin is from Australia, but has spent time in several countries. He moved with his family to Dubai for two years, where he was even a ball boy at the Dubai Freestyle Tennis Championships. Popyrin moved to Spain in 2010, where he still lives part-time.
From his late teens, Popyrin has trained at the Mouratoglou Academy in France, and he credits Patrick Mouratoglou for helping his development. The Aussie speaks English, Russian and Spanish.