Alexei Popyrin has defeated world No.6 Andrey Rublev within the Montreal ultimate to grow to be Australia’s first ATP Masters 1000 champion in 21 years.
Montreal, Canada, 13 August 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Alexei Popyrin has capped a breakout week in Montreal in emphatic fashion, upstaging world No.6 Andrey Rublev for his maiden ATP Masters 1000 trophy.
Ranked No.62 heading into his Canadian Masters fundamental draw debut, the 25-year-old denied 5 high 20 rivals in succession to finish the dream consequence and depart as the brand new world No.23.
His 6-2 6-4 triumph made him the primary Australian since Lleyton Hewitt defended his Indian Wells crown 21 years go to assert an ATP Masters 1000 title and prompted a post-match digicam lens sign-off of “what simply occurred?”
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“Unbelievable, phrases actually can’t describe this sense,” Popyrin mentioned courtside. “All of the onerous work that myself and my staff put in over the previous few years, it’s simply paid off.
“I’m a Masters 1000 title winner and I can’t consider it… Firstly my staff, we’ve been by thick and skinny.
“‘X’, my coach (Xavier Malisse), Nev, (Neville Godwin) my different coach supporting me from South Africa, my complete staff, my health coach, my physio – he was truthfully massaging me at 2am final evening so huge props to him and in addition my household and my girlfriend. They’ve devoted their complete lives to this.”
Elevate it excessive, @AlexeiPopyrin99 🙌🏆@OBNmontreal | #OBN24 pic.twitter.com/Pjn8npfDZW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 13, 2024
Popyrin was compelled to work extra time simply to achieve the title match after inclement climate delayed play and meant he wanted to defeat fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz and final week’s Washington champion Sebastian Korda solely hours in a while the identical day.
He saved three match factors in opposition to seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov to achieve his second ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
“He beat nice gamers, he was having a extremely robust draw, ending final evening, actually late, and right this moment successful the title is a extremely huge achievement, so I wish to congratulate you, I’m completely happy for you, man,” Rublev mentioned.
Popyrin went on to grow to be the eighth males’s winner this yr to get better from match level down throughout his title run and the primary at ATP Masters 1000 stage since Hurkacz saved a championship level in opposition to Rublev within the Shanghai ultimate final yr.
“I feel simply type of concentrate on what I’ve to do,” he mentioned. “On the 2 match factors earlier than the third one, I didn’t make a primary serve and I felt like I needed to make one to type of put the stress on and do it.
What simply occurred?!?!? 😱😱😱@AlexeiPopyrin99 is an ATP Masters 1000 CHAMPION in Montreal 🏆#GoAussies #NBO24 pic.twitter.com/liRuUnXbCE
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) August 13, 2024
“I don’t bear in mind what occurred on match level. I don’t know if I made my first serve or not, however I feel I did and hit a reasonably strong forehand to win it so to me that’s my thought course of by the entire match.
“Once I saved the three match factors I simply type of checked out them as break factors not match factors and simply centered on what I needed to do on my serve to carry my serve and yeah, got here by.”
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Popyrin turned simply the fourth Australian after Hewitt at Indian Wells in 2002-2003, Mark Philippoussis at Indian Wells in 1999 and Pat Rafter at Toronto and Cincinnati in 1998 to land an ATP Masters 1000 title.
It was a feat of which the brand new Australian No.2 behind 10th-ranked Alex de Minaur wouldn’t take sole credit score.
“My household type of left Australia early on in my life to pursue my tennis profession with my brother and my youthful sister,” he mentioned. “They’ve simply sacrificed a lot. I wouldn’t be right here with out them.”
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