Popyrin: “Training for so long in Spain was key to my current success”

He is a special player, one of those guardianesque talents who evolve in their own way and alternate weeks of inspiration where they are unassailable with incomprehensible disappearances. Alexei Popyrin surprised the world last year in Canada and is shining again at the ATP Masters 1000 Toronto 2025. He will face Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.

Impressive in his best version, capable of defeating anyone and brimming with confidence when he strings together several victories. Alexei Popyrin showed authority by beating Rune in the round of 16 of the ATP Masters 1000 Toronto 2025, and his words in the press conference are a clear indication of how much playing at such a high level means to him. His tennis feeds off his victories, and the conditions in Canada are favorable for a man capable of anything.

“I feel at home here in Canada. At the beginning of the tournament, I was quite nervous and felt the pressure of being the defending champion, but now I am playing very freely. I feel that I have regained my best level of tennis, which gives me peace of mind and confidence. I have completely forgotten about defending points; I just go out on the court to play my game and enjoy. The conditions favor me because the court is very fast, and with the heat, even more so. It’s difficult to control the ball during the day, but at night, I’m more comfortable,” he warned.

– Popyrin feels that when he plays at his best level, he is a very difficult player to beat

One aspect of the game in which the Australian is feeling most comfortable is his backhand. “I have never had such a consistent backhand as I do now. I think I can combine it very well with slice and be aggressive when coming to the net. Having these sensations, I am a very difficult player to beat,” affirmed a Popyrin who holds a record of 7-2 against top-10 opponents in the last year and 11-2 against top-20 players in Masters 1000 tournaments.

What many may not know is that Alexei Popyrin spent crucial years in his tennis development training in Spain, something he himself highlighted in the press conference of the ATP Masters 1000 Toronto 2025. “Training there for ten years had a huge impact. It taught me to play on clay, improved my mobility, and added a lot of variety and consistency to my tennis. My parents sacrificed everything to boost my career there, and I think it was the right decision,” stated the Australian.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Popyrin: “Entrenar tanto tiempo en España fue clave para mi éxito actual”