SUMMARY
- Alexei has steadily grown as a player, since he made his debut.
- He became a sensation, when he defeated Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open.
Australian star Alexei Popyrin is one of the most exciting players on tour at the moment. Popyrin has steadily risen through the ranks, and with each tournament, he has proven his capabilities. The 24-year-old has found success on the tennis courts, and he has his parents to thank for it. In this article, we will take a closer look at the young Australian star, who has become quite the tennis sensation.
Alexei was born on August 5, 1999, in Sydney, Australia. He started playing tennis when he was four years old and trained at the Kim Warwick Tennis Academy in Hornsby, Australia.
When he turned eight years old, Alexei and his family relocated to Dubai for his father’s work. The Popyrin family once again moved base in 2010, although this time it was to Alicante, Spain. As luck would have it, another Australian star, Alex de Minaur, turned out to be Alexei’s neighbor.
While Popyrin was slowly finding his footing in the tennis world, his career took off in 2023. Backed by the home crowd, Alexei defeated world number nine, Taylor Fritz, at the Australian Open. It was an exciting five-setter, as both players produced some of the best tennis seen in Melbourne. However, Popyrin got the last laugh, and he sent Fritz crashing out of the Grand Slam.
The 2022 season was a difficult one for Alexei, and this win gave him a much-needed boost. Alexei cemented his spot in the third round for the third time in five years. Unfortunately, Popyrin’s dream run at his home slam came to an end when Ben Shelton defeated him in the next round.
JCA stands to salute @AlexeiPopyrin99! Scenes! Limbs!
The Aussie was brilliant to defeat Taylor Fritz 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 6-4 6-7(6) 6-2@wwos • @espn • @Eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/PqifVZCaO7
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2023
Despite his loss, Alexei Popyrin left his mark on the tennis courts and in the hearts of tennis fans. He always gave credit where it was due, and this time was no exception, as he credited his parents for much of his success.
Who are the parents of Alexei Popyrin, and what is their nationality?
Alexei’s parents are Elena and Alex Popyrin, both of whom are Russian. They moved to Australia before Alexei’s birth, and the tennis star is fluent in English, Russian, and Spanish. Alex is one of the co-founders of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), alongside Patrick Mouratoglou. They came up with this exciting tournament in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Alexei credits his mother for his success as a player. “My mum is my inspiration. The sacrifices she’s made are the reason I am where I am right now. I’m so grateful for everything that she’s done for me,” he said (via Tennis Majors).
Popyrin won the junior Roland Garros title in 2017. He followed it up with another title in Poland, his first ITF title. In 2018, he made his debut at the Australian Open, thanks to a wildcard. His favorite player is Juan Martin del Potro, and Mouratoglou finds similarities between them.
Alexei Popyrin will hope to find much more success in the days ahead. He is an exciting player, with an arsenal of shots under his belt. Popyrin is sure to leave a mark wherever he goes.