Alexei Popyrin has defeated world No.6 Andrey Rublev in the Montreal final to become Australia’s first ATP Masters 1000 champion in 21 years.
Montreal, Canada, 13 August 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Alexei Popyrin has capped a breakout week in Montreal in emphatic style, upstaging world No.6 Andrey Rublev for his maiden ATP Masters 1000 trophy.
Ranked No.62 heading into his Canadian Masters main draw debut, the 25-year-old denied five top 20 rivals in succession to complete the dream result and depart as the new world No.23.
His 6-2 6-4 triumph made him the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt defended his Indian Wells crown 21 years go to claim a Masters 1000 title and prompted a post-match camera lens sign-off of “what just happened?”
> READ: Gadecki, Popyrin reach biggest career finals
“Unbelievable, words really can’t describe this feeling,” Popyrin said courtside. “All the hard work that myself and my team put in over the last few years, it’s just paid off.
“I’m a Masters 1000 title winner and I can’t believe it… Firstly my team, we’ve been through thick and thin.
“‘X’, my coach (Xavier Malisse), Nev, (Neville Godwin) my other coach supporting me from South Africa, my whole team, my fitness coach, my physio – he was honestly massaging me at 2am last night so big props to him and also my family and my girlfriend. They’ve dedicated their whole lives to this.”
Lift it high, @AlexeiPopyrin99 🙌🏆@OBNmontreal | #OBN24 pic.twitter.com/Pjn8npfDZW
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 13, 2024
Popyrin was forced to work overtime just to reach the title match after inclement weather delayed play and meant he needed to defeat fourth seed Hubert Hurkacz and last week’s Washington champion Sebastian Korda only hours later on the same day.
He saved three match points against seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
“He beat great players, he was having a really tough draw, finishing last night, really late, and today winning the title is a really big achievement, so I want to congratulate you, I’m happy for you, man,” Rublev said.
Popyrin went on to become the eighth men’s winner this year to recover from match point down during his title run and the first at ATP Masters 1000 level since Hurkacz saved a championship point against Rublev in the Shanghai final last year.
“I think just kind of focus on what I have to do,” he said. “On the two match…
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