Popyrin hits career-high ranking after Canadian Open title

Australia’s Alexei Popyrin has rocketed up the ATP rankings, cracking a career high of No.23 in the world after winning the ATP 1000 Canadian Open on Tuesday morning (AEST).

The 25-year-old, who was ranked No.62 in the world ahead of the tournament, is now assured of a seeding at the US Open later this month.

“It means so much, it means the world,” Popyrin said after his breakthrough victory.

“All the hard work I’ve put in over the last few years, all the sacrifices… For me to win this is just amazing.”

Popyrin’s brilliant run in Montreal

Tennis bookmakers did not even have Popyrin inside the top 10 lines of betting ahead of the Montreal Masters.

However, the Aussie put on a display of brilliant attacking tennis, racing his way past five consecutive top-20 players to claim the biggest title of his career in emphatic fashion.

What made the victory even more dramatic was the fact he saved three match points in the third round against Grigor Dimitrov.

Three of the players Popyrin defeated in Montreal were ranked inside the top 10, with Dimitrov, Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev all falling to his red-hot tennis.

Throw in two in-form Americans in Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda, plus Olympic gold medallist Tomas Machac, and it was a run to remember.

“It’s one of the best matches I’ve played in my life,” Popyrin said after defeating world No.8 Rublev in the final.

“It’s a level that I haven’t reached in training or in a match.”

Popyrin out-hit the typically aggressive Rublev by 31 winners to 15, winning 6-2, 6-4 in less than an hour and a half.

“I’m not proud just of the way I played in that final,” he continued.

“It’s more the way I’ve played all week, the level I’ve reached throughout the week to face these players.

“Beating them with the level of tennis I showed is really proof of all that.

“I’ve been saying all week that the hard work I’ve put in over the last few years seems to have paid off this week.”

Popyrin still at long odds in US Open betting

With the US Open less than a fortnight away, Popyrin is well poised to make a career-best Grand Slam run in New York.

However, tennis bookies aren’t convinced the 25-year-old will be able to back up his Montreal effort later this month.

Bet365 has Popyrin at $101 to win the US Open, although that is halved from his previous $201 quote.

In comparison, betting favourite Carlos Alcaraz is at $2.37, while Novak Djokovic ($2.87) and Jannik Sinner ($3.25) trail close behind.

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