Alexei Popyrin just earned the biggest win of his professional tennis career when he took down world number 15 David Goffin in five sets in the first round of the Australian Open.
The Aussie 21-year-old won a three-and-a-quarter hour thriller 3-6 6-4 6-7(7) 7-6(6) 6-3.
The result follows on from his 2020 win over his idol Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with the French veteran pulling out injured of their first round match a year ago.
Ranked 113th in the world heading into the 2021 Australian Open, Popyrin will now face South Africa's Lloyd Harris in the second round on Thursday.
Here's a yarn we published a few years back about Popyrin. It contains some gold, and, everything you need to know about the young-gun.
Aussie tennis is healthy at the moment. It's really healthy.
Forget your Bernies and Nicks, hell, maybe even Lleytons - and cast your eyes towards Alexei Popyrin.
2019 Australian Open: Alexei Popyrin
Popyrin's 2019 Australian Open began exactly how he wanted, with the towering Aussie sweeping past 2017 quarter-finalist Mischa Zverev in straight sets.
Facing seventh seed Dominic Thiem in the second round was set to be a massive challenge - however, Popyrin played out of his skin to claim the first two sets before an ailing Thiem retired.
Popyrin will take on 28th seed Lucas Pouille in the third round on Saturday night at Margaret Court Arena.
Biography
Date of birth: 5 August 1999 (age 19)
Place of birth: Sydney, Australia
Height: 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight: 84kg (185lbs)
Playing style: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Turned pro: 2016
Prize money: US$163,444
Highest ranking: No. 147
Current ranking: No. 149
Background
Popyrin was born in Sydney to Russian parents, and began playing tennis as a four-year-old.
The family moved to Spain when Popyrin was 10 years old.
He now trains at the academy of Patrick Mouratoglou, the man behind the success Serena Williams.
Junior results
In 2011, Popyrin took out the Optus 12s Grasscourt Championships, and won twice on the Tennis Europe 12U Circuit.
In 2013, he began competing on the ITF Junior circuit, with 2017 his breakout season as he won four consecutive tournaments off a string of 22 consecutive match wins. This included Popyrin becoming the first Australian to win the boys' French Open title in 49 years, when Phil Dent won in 1968.
For Popyrin, of the four other Aussies to win the junior title at Roland-Garros, three players - Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson and John Newcombe - moved on to win 27 singles majors combined.
On tour
Popyrin's first professional ITF title came in July 2017 at the Poland F4, helping him break into the top 1000 for the first time.
After beginning the 2018 season ranked No.622, he ended the year at No.147 in November. How he got there was no surprise - he qualified for the Sydney International, and gained a wildcard into the Australian Open. In August, he qualified for and won the Jinan Challenger in China, and broke into the top 200. After qualifying for his second ATP World Tour main draw at the Stockholm Open, he backed it up with an appearance at the Swiss Indoors where he took down countryman Matt Ebden to mark his first ATP World Tour win.
Big praise from big names
Mouratoglou has forseen big things for Popyrin.
"He has huge potential... you can see he knows how to win, which is something very important, and to win a tournament like [the French Open juniors] means something even bigger," he said.
Former Australian David Cup captain Wally Masur is also in Popyrin's corner.
"Sometimes when you watch kids it’s not how they play, it’s the manner," Masur said in December.
"He just struck me as a kid that wasn’t afraid, he enjoyed the moment and the big match. For tennis that’s a great attitude.
"He has the weapons. He has the size, he serves well, he’s got a good forehand, he plays well on clay, he can generate his own pace."
