Alexei Popyrin

Alexei Popyrin (born 5 August 1999) is an Australian professional tennis player.
Popyrin has a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 39 achieved on 23 October 2023. He also has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 235 achieved in June 2022. He turned professional in 2017 and has won two singles titles on the ATP Tour.
Personal life
Popyrin was born in Sydney, Australia to Russian parents. He began playing tennis at the Kim Warwick Tennis Academy in Hornsby at the age of four and was in attendance for the historic 2008 Australian Open third round match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis. At the age of 8, Popyrin relocated to Dubai for two years due to his father's work commitments before moving to Alicante, Spain where fellow Australian Alex de Minaur was his neighbour. Popyrin also spends time training in Nice, France, Marbella, Spain and Dubai. He has trained at the Mouratoglou Academy since April 2017.
Popyrin is multilingual in English, Russian and Spanish. Popyrin is a supporter of Everton F.C.
His father, Alex Popyrin, co-founded the Ultimate Tennis Showdown with Patrick Mouratoglou.
Junior career
In 2011, Popyrin won the Australian u12s Grasscourt Championships and, with Chase Ferguson, won the u12s National Claycourt Doubles Championships. In the same year he competed in the Tennis Europe u12 circuit, winning the Stork International 12 & Under in Oetwil Am See (SUI), Torneo U12 - Porto San Giorgio in Porto San Giorgio (ITA), Torneo Citta Di Padova in Padova (ITA). Popyrin lost in Semifinal at Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships - IMG / Bollettieri Sports Academy Bradenton, FL (USA), Passagespoirs Le Passage (FRA), as well as Final of Campionati Internazionali BNL d'Italia U12 - Circolo Canottieri in Roma (ITA).
Popyrin started competing in ITF Junior circuit in 2013 and, in 2017, reached the semifinals at the 2017 Australian Open in the junior doubles tournament. He then followed that up by winning 22 consecutive matches winning 4 consecutive tournaments : the Mediterranee Avenir - Club Olympic Casablancais
Casablanca (MAR), Trofeo Bonfiglio - Tennis Club Milano Milan (ITA), the 2017 French Open junior singles title in May 2017 and his first ITF Professional tournament in Poland F4 Futures Mragowo (POL). While ranked number 2 in the juniors single rankings, Popyrin decided to focus on the professional circuit.
Professional career
2013–2018: Start of pro circuit, First Challenger title, top 150 debut
Popyrin entered his first ITF Futures professional tournament in October 2013 at 14 years of age where he lost a first round qualifying match to Slovakian Martin Beran in Madrid. He secured his first professional qualifying win a year later in another Spanish ITF Futures tournament but failed to qualify for the main draw when he lost in the second round qualifying match. At the beginning of 2016, at the age of 15, Popyrin contested his first ATP Challenger Tour tournament after receiving a wildcard from Tennis Australia to compete in the 2016 Canberra Challenger. He was defeated in the first round by future top 10 player Diego Schwartzman.
In July 2016, he secured his first professional main draw win in an Italian ITF Futures tournament by defeating local talent Tommaso Roggero in straight sets before retiring hurt in the second round. Popyrin continued to play ITF Futures tournaments for the remainder of 2016 and ended the year with a world ranking of No.1155. He won his first professional ITF title in July 2017 at the Poland F4 in Mragowo, Poland. This victory broke Popyrin into the top 1000 for the first time. He played several more ITF and Challenger tournaments for the remainder of 2017 and ended the year with a ranking of 622.
Popyrin started the 2018 season ranked No.622, achieving a career-high ranking 25 times over the course of the season peaking at No.147 in November. In January 2018, he qualified for an ATP World Tour tournament for the first time at the Sydney International beating Nicolas Mahut and Federico Delbonis. He lost in round 1 to John Millman. Later in January, Popyrin made his Grand Slam debut at the 2018 Australian Open after being awarded a wildcard. He lost in round 1 to Tim Smyczek. Popyrin spent the next six months in Europe playing in challenger tournaments, increasing his ranking.
In August 2018, Popyrin qualified for and won hist first Challenger title at the Jinan Challenger in China beating James Ward in the final, becoming the third youngest teenager in 2018 to win a professional Challenger title. Popyrin continued to perform well and broke into the world's top 200 in late August. In October, Popyrin qualified for his second ATP World Tour main draw at the Stockholm Open, where he again lost to fellow Australian John Millman in round 1. The following week, Popyrin again qualified for a main draw, this time at Swiss Indoors beating Benoit Paire and Mackenzie McDonald. He defeated compatriot Matthew Ebden in round 1 for his first ATP World Tour win. Popyrin ended 2018 with a singles rank of World No. 147.
2019–2020: First Grand Slam win, Top 100 debut
Popyrin commenced 2019 with wildcards into the Brisbane International and Sydney International, losing in the first round in both. He also received a wildcard in the Australian Open, and achieved his first Grand Slam win by defeating Mischa Zverev in straight sets. Popyrin followed this up by beating Dominic Thiem and lost in the third round to Lucas Pouille in closely contested five sets.
During the first half of 2019 Popyrin qualified for the main draws of the ATP 250 tournaments in New York and Estoril, ATP 500 in Acapulco and Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo. Following his success on the ATP tour, Popyrin was awarded a main draw wildcard into French Open. In the first round Popyrin defeated France's Ugo Humbert in four sets winning his first Roland Garros men's main draw match. He lost to Laslo Djere in the second round. He broke into ATP top 100 for the first time at World No. 99 on 24 June 2019.
In July 2019 Popyrin qualified for the main draw of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships Popyrin lost to Daniil Medvedev in the second round. In the same month, Popyrin received his first direct acceptance into ATP 250 tournament in Atlanta, where he lost in the quarterfinals.
2019 was a breakout year for Popyrin. He played at least second round in all four Grand Slams - 3rd round of Australia Open, 2nd Round of Roland Garros, 2nd Round of Wimbledon and 3rd Round in US Open losing in 4 closely contested sets to Matteo Berrettini 4–6, 4–6, 7–6(3), 6–7(2).
In 2019 Popyrin qualified for 10 Professional tournaments tying the record set by Mischa Zverev in 2016.
He ended 2019 with an ATP singles rank of World No. 97.
Popyrin ended 2020 with an ATP singles rank of World No. 113.
2021: First ATP title, top 60 debut
Popyrin received a third wildcard into the main draw of the 2021 Australian Open similar to every year since 2018, with the exception of the 2020 Australian Open where he entered the main draw as direct entry.
In the first round he defeated 13 seed David Goffin after saving four match points 3–6, 6–4, 6–7(4–7), 7–6(8–6), 6–3 in 3 hours 43 minutes. He then lost in the second round to Lloyd Harris.
In February, Popyrin entered the Singapore Open and defeated Marin Čilić in the semifinal and Alexander Bublik in the final to win his first ATP title and achieved a career high singles ranking of 82.
At the 2021 French Open, Popyrin lost to Rafael Nadal in the first round.
At the US Open, Popyrin matched his career-best result, progressing through to the third round, which included a win over Grigor Dimitrov, Popyrin's fourth career top-20 win and third achieved in 2021.
Popyrin ended 2021 with an ATP singles ranking of World No. 61.
2022: Loss of form, second Challenger title, out of top 100
Popyrin started his 2022 season at the Melbourne Summer Set 1. He lost in the second round to Tallon Griekspoor. In Sydney, he was defeated in the first round by Pedro Martínez. At the Australian Open, he lost in the first round to Arthur Rinderknech in five sets.
After the Australian Open, Popyrin competed at the Open Sud de France. He lost in the first round to fifth seed Filip Krajinović. In Rotterdam, he lost in the first round to Karen Khachanov. Seeded seventh at the Open 13 Provence, he was defeated in the first round by qualifier Roman Safiullin. At the Dubai Championships, he fell in the final round of qualifying to Jiří Veselý. However, due to Félix Auger-Aliassime withdrawing from the tournament due to a back injury, Popyrin entered the main draw as a lucky loser. He beat world No. 19, Nikoloz Basilashvili, in the first round. He lost in the second round to qualifier Ričardas Berankis. In March, he played at the BNP Paribas Open. He was defeated in the first round by qualifier Tomáš Macháč. At the Arizona Classic, he lost in the first round to second seed Lorenzo Musetti. In Miami, he was defeated in the second round by 21st seed and world No. 23, Marin Čilić.
Popyrin started his clay-court season at the Barcelona Open. He fell in the first round of qualifying to Andrea Pellegrino. At the Estoril Open, he lost in the first round of qualifying to Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Making it through qualifying at the Open du Pays d'Aix, he was defeated in the first round by fifth seed Pablo Cuevas. Popyrin won his second ATP Challenger tour title at the BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux with a win over sixth seed Quentin Halys in the final.
2023: Fourth Australian Open wildcard & top 10-win, First Masters quarterfinal, second title, top 40
Popyrin started his season at the Adelaide International 1. After making it past qualifying, he upset second seed and world No. 6 Félix Auger-Aliassime, in the first round in straight sets. He went on to reach the quarterfinals where he lost to Yoshihito Nishioka in a tight three-set match. At the Adelaide International 2, he lost in the first round to compatriot and defending champion Thanasi Kokkinakis. Playing as a wildcard at his home slam, the Australian Open, he stunned eighth seed and world No. 9 Taylor Fritz, in the second round to advance to the third round for the third time at this event. He ended up losing in the third round to American rising star Ben Shelton. As a result, his ranking moved back into the top 100 from No. 113 to No. 90.
In February, Popyrin competed at the Bahrain Ministry of Interior Challenger in Manama, Bahrain. Seeded second, he made it to the quarterfinals where he lost to eighth seed and eventual champion, Thanasi Kokkinakis. In Dubai, he was defeated in the first round by qualifier Pavel Kotov. In March, he competed at the BNP Paribas Open. He fell in the final round of qualifying to Taro Daniel. However, due to the withdrawal of Kwon Soon-woo, Popyrin entered the main draw as a lucky loser. He lost in the second round to ninth seed and world No. 11 Hubert Hurkacz. At the Arizona Classic, he reached the quarterfinals where he was defeated by eventual champion Nuno Borges. In Miami, he was eliminated from the tournament in the second round by 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp.
Popyrin started his clay-court season at the Grand Prix Hassan II. He lost in the second round to second seed and world No. 30, Dan Evans. Getting past qualifying at the Monte-Carlo Masters, he was defeated in the second round by Nicolás Jarry. Playing at the first edition of the Srpska Open, he upset fifth seed, Tallon Griekspoor, in the first round. He lost in the second round to Alex Molčan.
In Madrid, he was defeated in the first round by Quentin Halys. Making it past qualifying on his debut at the Italian Open, he earned his fifth Top 10 win of his career by upsetting world No. 10 Félix Auger-Aliassime, in the second round. Next, he defeated qualifier Roman Safiullin in the third round to reach the fourth round for the first time at a Masters level. He lost his fourth-round match to world No. 7 Holger Rune, in a three setter that lasted three hours. In the French Open, Popyrin lost in the first round to qualifier Aslan Karatsev.
In Surbiton, he lost in the first round of the singles to Luke Saville, but made the semifinals of the doubles, partnering Aleksandar Vukic. He then beat Arthur Rinderknech in Rosmalen before losing to eventual champion Tallon Griekspoor in the second round. He then qualified for Queen's Club before losing to Jordan Thompson in the first round. In Wimbledon, Popyrin lost in 5 sets to Dominic Stricker in the first round.
Popyrin's next tournament was Umag, where he defeated Benjamin Bonzi, third seed Sebastian Ofner, wildcard Dino Prižmić, seventh seed Matteo Arnaldi, and sixth seed Stan Wawrinka in the final to win his second ATP title.
At the 2023 Western & Southern Open he reached the fourth round of a Masters for a second time in the season and in his career after entering as a lucky loser and defeating another lucky loser Daniel Altmaier and Nicolas Jarry by walkover. Next he reached his first Masters quarterfinal defeating Emil Ruusuvuori. As a result he reached the top 40 in the rankings.
National representation
Davis Cup
Popyrin made his Davis Cup debut for Australia in February 2019, at the age of 19, winning his first rubber against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Adelaide.
ATP career finals
Singles: 2 (2 titles)
Performance timeline
Singles
Current through the 2023 Shanghai Masters.
Doubles
Current through the 2023 French Open.
Record against top 10 players
Popyrin's record against players who have been ranked in the top 10, with those who are active in boldface. Only ATP Tour main draw matches are considered:
Record against players ranked No. 11–20
Active players are in boldface.
Feliciano López 1–1
Nikoloz Basilashvili 1–0
Alex de Minaur 1–1
Reilly Opelka 1–0
Lorenzo Musetti 1–0
Tommy Paul 1–0
Francisco Cerúndolo 1–0
Aslan Karatsev 0–1
Ben Shelton 0–1
*
Top 10 wins
He has a record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.
:* '''
ATP Challenger and ITF Futures finals
Singles: 4 (3 titles, 1 runner-up)
Junior Grand Slam finals
Boys' Singles: 1 (1 title)
References
External links
1999 births
Living people
Australian male tennis players
Tennis players from Sydney
Australian people of Russian descent
French Open junior champions
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in boys' singles
Sportsmen from New South Wales