Alexei Popyrin pulls off upset of the tournament with Australian Open win over Taylor Fritz

With two top 10 scalps already in the bag this year, it’s difficult to argue with Aussie giant killer Alexei Popyrin when he says he has everyone in his crosshairs at the Australian Open.

Alexei Popyrin reacts after winning a point in his clash with Taylor Fritz. Picture: AFP Images

Alexei Popyrin is ready to fill the void left by Nick Kyrgios, declaring he has the game to beat anyone at the Australian Open.

The lanky Sydnesider turned giant killer on John Cain Arena, taking down No.8 seed Taylor Fritz in an epic five set battle 6-7 (4) 7-6 (2) 6-4 6-7 (8) 6-2 which went four hours and two minutes.

Popyrin has now taken down two Top 10 players this year and is confident there are more scalps to come on this hot streak.

“I have that confidence going into every match. I think I have the game to beat the guys at the top,” he said.

“I’ve done that twice already this year, beating two top-10 guys. For me it’s very important going into that match knowing I have that confidence, knowing I have the game to beat them, which I truly believe that I do.”

The turnaround by the 23-year-old this year has been extraordinary given he only won five of 22 matches on the Tour last year.

He has already surpassed that number by the middle of January after a quarter-final appearance at the Adelaide International and now his march into the third round of the Open.

Australia's Alexei Popyrin is confident there are more high-ranked scalps to come on his hot streak. Picture: AFP

“I had the toughest year last year. I’ve won as many matches this year as the whole of last year and it’s only January,” Popyrin said.

“This is a dream for me, I don’t want to wake up at all.

“In the pre-season I put my head down and worked as hard as I could because I didn’t want the feeling I had in my head last year.

“I’m just going to keep pushing as I love this feeling, I want more of this feeling.”

Popyrin has been to the third round on two other occasions, as a wild card in 2019 where he beat No.8 seed Dominic Thiem in the second round. He backed that up 12 months later before losing to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the third round.

A big-serving left-handed American, reigning NCAA champion Ben Shelton, awaits him this year.

“I know that he’s (Shelton) a big lefty, big serve, big from the back, likes to come forward, he has a huge game and is really up-and-coming with so much confidence,” Popyrin said.

“Those are tough players to play: youngsters with so much confidence who have not been on the tour much, who came out honestly at the back end of last year going from, I don’t know, I think unranked to top hundred.

Alexei Popyrin ignites the huge crowd as he celebrates his win against Taylor Fritz. Picture: Mark Stewart

“He’s a really good player and he’s in the third round already this year in his probably first AO. It’s going to be really tough. I’m not going into it lighthearted or cocky or anything like that. I’m going into it ready to battle.”

Popyrin, whose first round match was also a five-set marathon which finished at 2.02am Wednesday, credits his new coach, former player Xavier Malisse, with turning around his career.

“We were so mentally locked in, both of us. I was looking at him, he was looking at me all the time,” he said about Malisse, his mentor since October.

“We had eye contact after every point. I knew what he was thinking. He knew what I was thinking. We were in it together.

“That’s not something you get with every single coach. You have to have a really special connection and we have built that relationship up really quickly.”

Nick who? Aussie tennis has a new hero

Nick who? Australia has a new cult hero in Alexei Popyrin.

Just when the Australian Open was looking for a much-needed boost after the shock withdrawal of Nick Kyrgios earlier in the week, the tall 23-year-old Sydneysider stepped up to blow No. 8 seed Taylor Fritz off John Cain Arena.

Fittingly Popyrin produced the biggest win of his career on the court which has been Kyrgios’ favourite in recent years.

With the capacity crowd in a frenzy, Popyrin showed nerves of steel and ripped a stunning crosscourt forehand off Fritz’s serve to claim the match 6-7 (4) 7-6 (2) 6-4 6-7 (8) 6-2 after four hours and two minutes.

“You guys were just incredible, Oh my God this is crazy man,” Popyrin said. “This win means so much to me.

“I had the toughest year last year. I’ve won as many matches this year as the whole of last year and it’s only January.

“This is a dream for me, I don’t want to wake up at all.”

Alexei Popyrin celebrates during his incredible win. Picture: AFP Images

Popyrin had previously advanced to the Open’s third round in 2019 as a wildcard beating No. 8 seed Dominic Thiem in the second round. He backed up that performance in 2020 before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

He was again awarded a wildcard this year after losing his way in 2022 – he only won five Tour-level matches – but after an intense pre-season the world No. 113 has been able to recapture his best form.

There were signs at the Adelaide International when he made the quarter-finals as a qualifier, defeating world No. 7 Canada’s Felix Auger-Alassime.

“In the pre-season I put my head down and worked as hard as I could, as I didn’t want the feeling I had in my head last year,” Popyrin said.

“I’m just going to keep pushing as I love this feeling, I want more of this feeling and I want you guys (the crowd) to have this feeling.”

Popyrin now turns his sights to another American in reigning NCAA champion Ben Shelton, who beat Chilean Nicolas Jarry in straight sets earlier on Thursday.

He won’t pick up his racquet on Friday because he wants to follow the same routine which he did coming into the Fritz match.

His first-round encounter was another five set marathon over Taiwan’s Tseng Chun-hsin, which finished at 2.02am on Wednesday morning.

“I am going to do exactly what I did (for this match),” Popyrin said. “I’ll take the day off tomorrow, get the body 100 per cent with ice baths, massage and stretching.

“Yesterday I didn’t touch a racquet and that’s why I’ve been able to play eight hours in two days.”

The 196cm Popyrin won 87 per cent of points from his first serve in a near flawless performance that had the crowd on its feet after every winner he struck.

Alexei Popyrin has made the third round. Picture: Getty Images

He was made to pay after failing to capitalise on an early break point, losing the first set in a tie-break, but ripped consecutive forehand winners off Fritz’s serve in the second set tie-break before breaking him midway through the third.

The American called a medical time-out to seek treatment on his ankle before the fourth set, but broke Popyrin to move to a 5-3 lead before the Australian broke back.

Most figured when Fritz, who reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park last year, claimed the fourth set tie-break he would accelerate away.

But Popyrin had other ideas, producing a performance which Kyrgios would have been proud of on his favourite court.