Popyrin conquers career’s biggest title

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Alexei Popyrin profited from the mental fragility of Andrey Rublev as the Australian won the biggest title of his career at the ATP Montreal Masters.

World No. 62 Popyrin beat sixth-ranked Rublev 6-2, 6-4 in 90 minutes in the US Open tuneup, denying the Russian a second Masters crown this season after winning in Madrid.

Popyrin is the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 title since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 at Indian Wells.

The only other Aussie to reach a Canadian final was Patrick Rafter in 2001, who lost to Romanian Andrei Pavel.

Popyrin, who turned 25 last week, is the fourth from his nation to win at this level, following Rafter (1998 Toronto, 1998 Cincinnati), Mark Philippoussis (1999 Indian Wells) and Hewitt (2002-2003 Indian Wells).

“This means so much, it means the world,” an emotional Popyrin said.

“All the hard work we’ve put in over the last couple of years has paid off.”

“Everyone around me has sacrificed so much of their lives for me. For me to win this for them is amazing.”

Popyrin, who beat five top-20 opponents during his run to Canadian glory, said he treated match points like any other shot.

“I tried to focus on what I had to do on my serve,” he said.

“My first two match points, I didn’t make a first serve, but on the third, I did what I felt I needed to do. I hit a pretty solid forehand to win it.”

Rublev, who has boiled over several times this season on court and confessed to dealing with mental stress, got off to a poor start and took out his frustrations early through screaming, kicking a towel container and generally breaking down in tight moments.

His form in knocking out world number one Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals was barely visible as he ran into an inspired Popyrin.

The Australian started the final on a tear, winning seven of the opening eight points as Rublev’s fragile temper began to fray.

Popyrin drove home his superiority with a double break as the seed double-faulted for a second time within minutes to lose serve.

Rublev annulled a set point in the six-minute seventh game to hold to 2-5. But Popyrin calmly finished off the opening set on his third chance.

The Aussie sent a sizzler down the line past Rublev to clinch a set where he twice saved double break points against his serve.