Alexei Popyrin pulled off one of the vital inconceivable ATP Masters 1000 title runs in current historical past on Monday evening, beautiful World No. 6 Andrey Rublev within the Montreal ultimate to assert a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Whereas Popyrin has been using the crest of a wave this week, I made Rublev an 80/20 favorite heading into the ultimate. Based mostly on what I’d seen, the Russian hit the ball crisply in all his matches, and his win over Sinner was very spectacular because it made him the one participant to beat Alcaraz and Sinner this season.
But, I had missed the truth that the Australian had a 5-1 report in finals in any respect ranges. He flipped the script, dominating together with his heavy sport as he landed 18 forehand winners en path to victory in 1 hour and 31 minutes.
With the victory, Popyrin moved up 39 spots within the rankings to crack the highest 25 for the primary time. He’s additionally the primary Aussie to win a Masters 1000 since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.
He heads over to Cincinnati by way of non-public jet for the primary time, the place he’ll face Carlos Alcaraz within the second spherical if he defeats Gael Monfils in his opening match.
Fast Last Recap
Popyrin got here into the ultimate with numerous courtroom time in his legs, having saved three match factors to upset Dimitrov, come inside two factors of defeat to Hurkacz after which ending Seb Korda’s eight-match profitable streak within the semi-finals.
Because of this, I believed he could be a step slower within the ultimate and could be the goal of a Rublev groundstroke barrage from each wings.
Nevertheless, he executed a sport plan of aggressive, high-risk tennis from the phrase go. He leveraged his booming serve and highly effective forehand to interrupt Rublev within the opening sport and by no means seemed again.
Even when he felt drained, he by no means allowed Rublev to say his sport. As an alternative, he opted to redline his sport, profitable 18/21 behind his first serve within the first set and saving all 4 break factors he confronted.
Within the second, it was extra of the identical as Popryin danced round Rublev’s second serve to hit booming forehand returns, and even after he relinquished a break of serve within the second set at 3-3, he responded immediately to interrupt once more, this time sustaining it to seize the title.
The standout stats have been 31 winners to Rublev’s 16, 10 aces, and 50% of return factors.
He now leads the H2H in opposition to Rublev 2-1, following his win earlier this yr in Monte Carlo, and he’s proven that when you get on high of Rublev early, you’ll be able to rattle him mentally and be virtually positive he’ll waste power with emotional outbursts.
Nonetheless, the Russian had solely received one match in 5 earlier visits to Canada, so to make the ultimate after a poor run of kind is an achievement. If he can in some way discover a approach to not blow up after shedding trivial factors, he can have an honest second half of the season.
It means the world for all of the exhausting work I’ve put in through the years and all of the sacrifices I’ve made. Not simply me however my household, my girlfriend, my staff, and all people round me. They’ve sacrificed their complete lives for me, and for me to win this for them is simply wonderful. Popyrin on his Masters 1000 win.
It’s a really optimistic and actually good week, Actually massive step ahead I feel, and I really feel happy with myself that I used to be capable of be good all of the week mentally. Even in the present day, if we took me again a few months in the past and even one month in the past and even examine my match in opposition to him at Monte-Carlo once I was shedding, I behaved 10 occasions extra, and it was the primary spherical. Right here, it was a ultimate. Far more stress. Sure, I nonetheless confirmed some emotion in the present day, however in comparison with the matches once I was shedding the identical approach, I feel I did a a lot better job. That’s why I had a bit of likelihood within the second set, however it was not my time. Rublev on his run in Montreal.
Match Stats
Andrey Rublev
Alexei Popyrin
Aces
4
10
Double Faults
5
3
1st Serve Proportion
44%
59%
1st Serve Factors Gained
63% (17/27)
84% (32/38)
2nd Serve Factors Gained
40% (14/35)
35% (9/26)
Break Factors Saved
56% (5/9)
83% (5/6)
1st Return Factors Gained
16% (6/38)
37% (10/27)
2nd Return Factors Gained
65% (17/26)
60% (21/35)
Break Factors Transformed
17% (1/6)
44% (4/9)
Winners
16
31
Unforced Errors
15
10
Internet Factors Gained
63% (5/8)
73% (8/11)
Max Factors In Row
4
7
Service Factors Gained
50% (31/62)
64% (41/64)
Return Factors Gained
36% (23/64)
50% (31/62)
Whole Factors Gained
43% (54/126)
57% (72/126)
Max Video games In Row
2
3
Service Video games Gained
56% (5/9)
89% (8/9)
Return Video games Gained
11% (1/9)
44% (4/9)
Whole Video games Gained
33% (6/18)
67% (12/18)
Highlights
Did the results of the ultimate shock you?
