Poportunity knocks: Big clay court breakthrough as Aussie surges into French Open’s second week

Australian Alexei Popyrin has continued his career-best run at the French Open with a stirring victory that has seen him reach the second week of a major for the second time in his career.

With his backhand fortified and his confidence rising, Alexei Popyrin has an opportunity to reach the quarterfinals of a grand slam for the first time after surging into the second week of the French Open with a stirring display on Friday.

After a run of outs at Roland Garros surprising given his credentials as a former French Open boys’ champion, the Australian has demonstrated in Paris over the past week the weaponry that makes him a threat on the shifting surface.

Pitted against tough Portuguese Nuno Borges in a third round clash on Friday, Popyrin overcame the frustration of having several opportunities go begging in a dramatic second set on the way to a 6-4 7-6 (11) 7-6 (5) triumph in just over three hours.

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Alexei Popyrin is through to the second week at Roland Garros. Picture: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

After being untouched on serve for the best part of the 75 minutes, the Sydneysider twice dropped his delivery when attempting to move to a two set lead and ultimately required six set points, while saving two himself, to snare a pivotal moment in a testing battle.

Opportunity knocked at different stages through the third set as well, with the three-time ATP Tour titleholder holding four break points at 4-3 and then two match points at 5-4 in service games of Borges.

Popyrin was then forced to save a break point of his own at 5-all, with his superb serve coming to the fore once again.

Come the tie-breaker, he was the superior player and used a balance of power and touch to seize an important win in his career on his fifth match point, with a booming serve down the T proving unreturnable.

“(The second set) was very important. I think going two sets to love up, or one set all, is a completely different ballgame,” Popyrin said.

“To be able to get through that tiebreak, I had two opportunities to serve for the set (and) wasn’t able to do it, considering how well I served the whole match.

“That was quite a surprise. Those were the only two times I was broken in the whole match. It was a weird kind of four or five games. Then ... going through that tiebreak, it was really tight. I knew how important it was.

“But at the same time, I just tried to keep focus on my serve. Then when the opportunity arose on my return, then I would try to capitalise on it. That’s kind of what happened.”

Nuno Borges took Popyrin to two tiebreak sets but was eventually taken down in straight sets. Picture: Julien de Rosa/AFP

Steely-eyed Alexei Popyrin during his third round match. Picture: Andy Cheung/Getty Images

He will now face top American Tommy Paul, a semi-finalist in the Australian Open two years ago who is currently ranked No.12. The pair have met four times, with the American leading the head to head 3-1, but none of their meetings have been on clay.

Paul has been stretched the distance in two of his three matches to date, including a five set triumph on Friday on what was a particularly warm day in Paris, but the Australian said he doubts the extended matches will worry him.

“Honestly, I think Tommy is one of the fittest guys on tour. The work he puts in the gym, the work he puts in off the court, I think he’s only going to come out on Sunday and play normal,” he said.

“For me, it’s very important not to think about the fact that he’s played two five-setters. It’s to keep focusing on myself, to keep focusing on the way I’ve been playing for the last two weeks and trying to bring that level again, trying to bring that consistent level.

“For me, that’s the most important. Not to focus on how he feels or what he’s done in previous rounds. I know how fit he is. I think the whole tour knows how fit he is. He’s not going to come out there and show you that he’s tired, that’s for sure.”

It was an impressive performance from Popyrin, who rose in prominence last August when becoming just the fourth Australian after Pat Rafter, Mark Philippoussis and Lleyton Hewitt to win at Masters level when successful in Montreal.

Alexei Popyrin after winning the Montreal Masters in 2024. Picture: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

He followed that exceptional effort by upsetting 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic at the US Open when reaching the last 16 of a grand slam for the first time. Popyrin believes that experience will stand him in good stead for Sunday’s opportunity.

“I know how I’m going to be feeling in the fourth round of a slam. Going into the fourth round against ‘Foe (Frances Tiafoe) in the US Open, I had no idea how I was going to feel, especially coming off a match like the third round against Novak,” he said.

“You get the emotional highs, then you top that off with the physical stress. You’re never going to be 100 per cent going into a fourth round of a slam. That’s something I can kind of learn from, which we have.

“But then again, the first three rounds have been nowhere near as tough as that Novak match in the third round there. It’s actually a positive on my side. I’m feeling quite good, considering the circumstances of it being a fourth round of a slam. Hopefully I can keep feeling that way.”

Popyrin plays a forehand return against Borges. Picture: Julien de Rosa / AFP

In a season that has been far from a smooth ride, with Popyrin’s former coach Xavier Malisse shocking him at Indian Wells when calling an end to what had been a fruitful partnership, the agile right-hander has regained his best form in Paris.

He had been building in recent weeks with runs to the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters and also the Geneva Open clinched by Djokovic last week.

But under new coach Wayne Ferreira, Popyrin has taken another step forward in a career that has promised much after his success as a junior in Paris in 2017. He believes he is becoming more consistent under his new mentor.

“That’s what I’ve been talking about all week, I think, the consistency part,” he said.

“(It is about the way) I play these matches, where you can play your best tennis against a top-10 player, but when you play a player ranked 40, 50, 60, you’re the favourite, you have to bring that consistent level, the level you play against a top player. That’s what I struggled with.

“I think changing the mindset into being a little more consistent, not going for winners at the first opportunity, trying to build a point up, I think that helps. That’s kind of the way we’ve been focusing the first, well, since the start of the clay. It’s been working well.”

Originally published as Poportunity knocks: Big clay court breakthrough as Aussie surges into French Open’s second week