Alexei Popyrin pulled off one of the inconceivable ATP Masters 1000 title runs in current historical past on Monday night time, beautiful World No. 6 Andrey Rublev within the Montreal remaining 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 through 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 Closing Recap
Popyrin got here into the ultimate with various court docket 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.
Consequently, I believed he is likely to be a step slower within the remaining and can 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 claim his sport. As a substitute, 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 towards Rublev 2-1, following his win earlier this yr in Monte Carlo, and he’s proven that if you happen to get on high of Rublev early, you possibly can rattle him mentally and be nearly certain he’ll waste vitality 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 by some means discover a manner 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 arduous work I’ve put in over time and all of the sacrifices I’ve made. Not simply me however my household, my girlfriend, my workforce, and everyone round me. They’ve sacrificed their entire lives for me, and for me to win this for them is simply wonderful. Popyrin on his Masters 1000 win.
It’s a really constructive and actually good week, Actually massive step ahead I feel, and I really feel happy with myself that I used to be in a position to be good all of the week mentally. Even right this moment, if we took me again a few months in the past and even one month in the past and even evaluate my match towards him at Monte-Carlo once I was shedding, I behaved 10 instances extra, and it was the primary spherical. Right here, it was a remaining. Rather more stress. Sure, I nonetheless confirmed some emotion right this moment, however in comparison with the matches once I was shedding the identical manner, I feel I did a significantly better job. That’s why I had a bit probability within the second set, nevertheless 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 Share | 44% | 59% |
| 1st Serve Factors Received | 63% (17/27) | 84% (32/38) |
| 2nd Serve Factors Received | 40% (14/35) | 35% (9/26) |
| Break Factors Saved | 56% (5/9) | 83% (5/6) |
| 1st Return Factors Received | 16% (6/38) | 37% (10/27) |
| 2nd Return Factors Received | 65% (17/26) | 60% (21/35) |
| Break Factors Transformed | 17% (1/6) | 44% (4/9) |
| Winners | 16 | 31 |
| Unforced Errors | 15 | 10 |
| Web Factors Received | 63% (5/8) | 73% (8/11) |
| Max Factors In Row | 4 | 7 |
| Service Factors Received | 50% (31/62) | 64% (41/64) |
| Return Factors Received | 36% (23/64) | 50% (31/62) |
| Whole Factors Received | 43% (54/126) | 57% (72/126) |
| Max Video games In Row | 2 | 3 |
| Service Video games Received | 56% (5/9) | 89% (8/9) |
| Return Video games Received | 11% (1/9) | 44% (4/9) |
| Whole Video games Received | 33% (6/18) | 67% (12/18) |
Highlights
Did the results of the ultimate shock you?
