- Alexei Popyrin won the Masters 1000 title in Montreal
- Aussie, 25, defeated a host of seeded players along the way
- Now ranked 23rd in the world, will be seeded at US Open
Alexei Popyrin is currently celebrating the biggest win of his career. He has continued his run of great performances, including beating five players in the top 20 to become the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 title in over 20 years.
With a mix of sublime touch and fierce firepower, Popyrin defeated the volatile Russian world number 6, Andrei Rublev, 6-2 6-4 in a thrilling final in Montreal.
The 25-year-old won a massive $1.6 million cheque after becoming the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 event since Lleyton Hewitt won back-to-back at Indian Wells when he was world number one in 2002-03.
“It means so much. It means the world,” Popyrin said.
‘All the hard work I’ve done over the years. All the sacrifices I’ve made, not just me, but my family, my girlfriend, my team, everyone around me.
“They gave their lives for me and to win this for them is truly amazing.”
By finishing in the top 20 five times in a row during the week, Popyrin improved his ranking from 62nd to 23rd in the world and secured a valuable first Grand Slam seed for the US Open, which starts in 13 days.
Popyrin defeated Washington title winner Sebastian Korda in the semi-finals last week, after having previously defeated fourth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals in a titanic clash.
Alexei Popyrin enjoys the biggest win of his career after becoming the first Australian in more than two decades to win a Masters 1000 title (pictured)
Popyrin defeated the unstable Russian world number 6 Andrey Rublev 6-2 6-4 in a thrilling final in Montreal
He also knocked out 11th-seeded Ben Shelton and saved three match points against seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in the third round.
Popyrin, a former junior French Open winner, last lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics.
But Montreal’s lowest-ranked finalist since Harel Levy in 2000 made a fantastic transition from clay to hard court and showed few signs of nerves under the bright lights of Court Central.
Rublev had defeated top-seeded Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals and was chasing his 17th career title.
But it was Popyrin, the underdog, who set the tone with a lightning start.
He opened the match with a devastating forehand return winner and broke Rublev to love.
The Russian’s volcanic temperament was immediately apparent as he angrily cursed himself after making several double faults, giving Popyrin the opportunity.
Popyrin consolidated and then made three aces to overcome a double break deficit in the fourth game and hold on, before taking a second service break to take a 4-1 lead.
The Australian is now ranked 23rd in the world and will be seeded for the upcoming US Open (pictured, after winning match point)
He took set point with a surprising 167 km/h off-forehand winner and finished it off after just 35 minutes.
The Sydneysider was on course for the finish after taking a third service break in the second game of the second set and then had a point for a double break.
Popyrin could have blinked, or even resigned, after dropping his serve for the first time, allowing Rublev to get back into the match at 3-3.
Instead, he broke straight back with another huge forehand winner.
Even after losing a gruelling 25-stroke rally, Popyrin recovered immediately with his tenth ace to earn match point.
Rublev saved two but not a third, while Popyrin made a perfect three-for-three in the final to add the Montreal title to his 2021 breakthrough in Singapore and his 2023 title in Umag, Croatia.
After Alex de Minaur lost in last year’s final to Sinner, Popyrin becomes the first Australian to win the Canadian Masters since Pat Rafter in 1998.
Less than three weeks later, Rafter won the US Open at the age of 25. Popyrin hopes this is an omen.