Popyrin completes an amazing run to claim a Masters 1000 title
Alexei Popyrin from Australia has competed a remarkable run of matches to claim his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title, becoming the first Australian to do so in 21 years.
Popyrin also stayed perfect in finals, and is now three from three.
Speaking of threes, he saved three match points in his round 3 match against Grigor Dimitrov and he needed three match points to close out the title match against Andrey Rublev.
The 25-year-old Australian was playing career-best tennis as he took out Tomas Machac in round one, no. 11 seed Ben Shelton in round two. Next was the no. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov. In the quarters it was Hubert Hurkacz, the no. 4 seed.
In the semifinal he accounted for Sebastian Korda who was on an eight-match winning streak.
In the final, the biggest of his career, Popyrin took out the world no. 6 and fifth seed 6-2, 6-4.
“It means the world, for all the hard work I’ve put in over the years, all the sacrifices I have made,” said Popyrin, who is the first Australian Masters 1000 winner since Lleyton Hewitt won Indian Wells 21 years ago in 2003.
“Not just me, but my family, my girlfriend, my team, everybody around me. They have sacrificed their whole lives for me and for me to win this for them is just amazing.”
Popyrin got off to the perfect start as he broke Rublev to love, the Australian was on the attack and hit 10 forehand winners to one in the opening set.
Next up for Popyrin is a round one match at the Cincinnati Masters against Gael Monfils. If he can follow up the title match with a win, Popyrin will face Carlos Alcaraz.