Australian tennis player Alexei Popyrin is poised to achieve a career-best ranking of No. 21 worldwide, despite a straight-sets defeat against American Tommy Paul in the fourth round of Roland-Garros. Popyrin’s exit came with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, but it still marks his most successful outing at the French Open, having previously progressed no further than the first round in six of his past attempts.
Reflecting on his performance, Popyrin acknowledged that Paul executed a well-planned game, stating, “He played a tactically spot-on match. He made me feel uncomfortable out there.” Despite his own shortcomings during the match, Popyrin credited Paul’s prowess, conceding that he failed to play at his usual standard.
Popyrin’s preparation for this clay season was guided by South African coaches Neville Godwin and Wayne Ferreira, which has seen him make significant strides. He remarked on the positive impact of their training, taking note that while he had regressed to some old habits during the match, his recent practices were beneficial and he has made important progress.
The 25-year-old expressed a sense of achievement in reaching the second week of the tournament for the first time, and he sees the experience as a valuable learning opportunity. He plans to use the insights gained from this challenge to enhance his performance moving forward.
Tommy Paul advanced to the quarter-finals, marking the first American man to reach this stage since Andre Agassi in 2003. Paul’s impressive form included saving nine out of ten break points he faced and seizing five out of six opportunities on his end.
Both players share a history of success on the junior circuit on the clay courts of Paris, with Paul claiming his title a decade ago. As Popyrin looks ahead, his focus shifts towards the upcoming grass court season and Wimbledon in four weeks, where he previously reached the third round.
He recognises the contrasting demands of grass compared to clay, noting that effective movement and an aggressive style of play are essential on grass courts. Popyrin plans to replicate the preparation he undertook last year, which helped improve his movement ahead of Wimbledon.
Before he dives into his training, Popyrin intends to take a brief break in Paris with his girlfriend, Amy, to recharge before shifting his focus back to preparation for the grass season ahead.