Popyrin makes Aussies smile in Paris after Demon exit
Ian Chadband |
Alexei Popyrin says he couldn’t have imagined he’d end up as the last Aussie man standing at the French Open – but he’s determined to keep the flag flying high after ensuring there would be no depressing hangover following Alex de Minaur’s shock exit.
On a roasting Friday in Paris, the country’s No.2 player got hot in the Court 14 furnace in which de Minaur’s hopes had crashed and burned the previous day, downing doughty Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-4 7-6 (13-11) 7-6 (7-5) to reach the last-16 without having yet dropped a set.
“We all expected Demon to be in the fourth round,” admitted Popyrin, when asked if he’d have thought at the start of the week he’d be the final men’s survivor.
“I don’t think I could have thought that – Alex is probably the most consistent player on tour – but that’s the case now. I’m only focusing on myself. I want to keep going as far as I can, that’s all I’m thinking.”
And there’s no reason that couldn’t be very far.
Last year Popyrin reached the last-16 in the US Open, but now he has the chance to go even further in a slam as he faces American iron man, 12th seed Tommy Paul, who outlasted Karen Khachanov 6-3 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-3.
And though, ultimately, Popyrin may have made harder work of his win than he would have liked, the 25th seed still felt it was a major boon to have got the job done in three-straight in three hours, while Paul was slogging for 4 hours 7 minutes after another five-set slog in the first round which had lasted 3:38.
“It was a really good match from my point. Happy I wrapped it up in three sets. It’s really hot out there, really difficult conditions,” said Popyrin.
“I played the first set-and-a-half really, really solid, how I’ve been playing all week, but had a bit of a mental slip-up at the end of the second but managed to dig deep in the tiebreak.
“The third set was more a mental battle than a physical battle on my side trying to hold serve, and then trying to get opportunities on his return, which I had towards the end. But still managed to kind of keep my head and still play well in the tiebreak.”
Popyrin now joins an elite group of his compatriots to have made it this far on the Paris clay since the turn of the Millennium alongside Mark Philippoussis (2000), Wayne Arthurs (2001), Lleyton Hewitt (2000-02, 2004, 2006-07) and Alex de Minaur (2024).
The courts hardening and speeding up in the sunshine certainly suited his big serving as Popyrin dropped just three points on his delivery in the opening set but he had a bit of an aberration near the end of the second.
He squandered a set point at 3-5 and twice served for the set only to deliver a couple of error-prone games – the only times he was broken in the match.
Eventually, he needed plenty of resolve in a dog-fight of a tiebreak, saving a couple of set points and having four more of his own repelled before the Portuguese finally crashed a backhand long.
Popyrin’s relief was palpable. “It was very important. One-set all is a completely different ball game.”
His serve was in formidable nick, generally, his 13 aces and 80 per cent success rate on his first delivery suggesting he’s going to be hard work for Paul to subdue.
“He played unbelievable tennis there (in the Canadian Open last year). That’s what he’s capable of. He can take the racquet out of your hand sometimes,” said the American.
“Hopefully, I can use the clay to my advantage and kind of slow things down a little bit.”
AAP
