Alexei Popyrin was born on 5 August 1999 in Sydney, Australia. He is an Australian professional tennis player. He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 23 on 12 August 2024. Additionally, his best ATP doubles ranking was No. 235, achieved on 27 June 2022. Currently, he holds the position of No. 2 Australian singles player. He has won three singles titles on the ATP Tour, including a Master 1000 at the 2024 Canadian Open.
Early Life and Introduction to Tennis:
Popyrin was born in Sydney to Russian Immigrant parents Alex and Elena. He has a brother, Anthony, and two sisters, Sonia and Anna. His brother played collegiate tennis at Arizona Christian University.
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 spent time training in Nice, Marabella, and Dubai. He has trained at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy since April 2017. Popyrin is multilingual in English, Russian, and Spanish. Popyrin is a supporter of Everton FC. 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, claimed the U12s National Claycourt Doubles title. That year, he also won several Tennis Europe U12 tournaments in Switzerland and Italy. He reached the semi-finals in other international tournaments, including the Eddie Herr Championships in the U.S. and the finals in Rome.
Popyrin began competing in the ITF Junior circuit in 2013. In 2017, he reached the semi-finals in the Australian Open junior doubles. He then went on an impressive winning streak, capturing four consecutive titles, including the French Open junior singles. After reaching number 2 in the junior rankings, he decided to focus on his professional career.
Professional career:
2013-2018: Early Career and Breakthroughs
2013: Popyrin starts in pro tennis, loses first qualifying match at 14.
2014: Wins first qualifying match but doesn’t make the main draw.
2016: Competes in first ATP Challenger at 16, loses to future top-10 player Diego Schwartzman. Wins the first main draw match in July.
2017: Wins first ITF title in Poland, breaks into top 1000.
2018: Ranks No. 622 at the start of the year, and peaks at No. 147 in November. Wins first Challenger title in China and breaks into the top 200. Reaches ATP World Tour main draw twice, wins first ATP match in Basel.
2019-2020: Grand Slam Success and Top 100 Debut
2019: Breaks into top 100, wins first Grand Slam match at the Australian Open, and advances to the third round. Ends the year ranked No. 97.
2020: Ends the year ranked No. 113.
2021: First ATP Title and Top 60
2021: Wins first ATP title in Singapore, reaches career-high ranking of No. 61. Matches career-best result at the US Open.
2022: Challenges and Second Challenger Title
2022: Struggles with form, wins second Challenger title in Bordeaux, falls out of top 100.
2023: Major Achievements and Top 40
2023: Wins second ATP title in Umag, reaches top 40. Advances to first Masters 1000 quarterfinal and achieves four top-10 wins, including at the Canadian Open.
2024: Olympics debut, first Masters title, four top 10 wins, top 25, first major round of 16:
In 2024, Alexei Popyrin had a breakthrough year in tennis, making significant strides in his career. Here’s an easy-to-understand summary of his key achievements:
1. Olympic Debut: Popyrin made his first appearance at the 2024 Olympics, representing Australia on the global stage. Competing in such a prestigious event is a dream for many athletes, and it was a major milestone in his career.
2. First Masters Title: Popyrin captured his first ATP Masters 1000 title in 2024, a huge accomplishment in the world of tennis. Winning a Masters title means defeating some of the best players in the world, and it’s a clear sign that he’s becoming a major force in the sport.
3. Four Top 10 Wins: Over the year, Popyrin defeated four players ranked in the top 10. This is an impressive feat that shows he can compete with and beat the best in the world.
4. Top 25 Ranking: Thanks to his consistent performances, including his first Masters title and wins over top players, Popyrin broke into the top 25 rankings for the first time in his career. This ranking reflects his rise in the tennis world and his growing reputation as a formidable player.
5. First Grand Slam Round of 16: Popyrin also reached the Round of 16 in a Grand Slam for the first time, showcasing his ability to perform well in the most important and competitive tournaments.
These achievements highlight Popyrin’s rapid rise in the tennis world and suggest that he has a bright future ahead.
Current Information related to Alexei Popyrin:
Alexei Popyrin recently pulled off a significant upset by defeating Novak Djokovic in the third round of the 2024 US Open. He won the match with a score of 6-4, 6-4,2-6, 6-4. This victory marks Popyrin’s first time reaching the fourth round of a Grand slam, and its first completed win over a top-five opponent. He will now face France Tiafoe in the next round as he aims to continue his strong performance at the tournament.