Teenage prodigy Alexei Popyrin has fulfilled a lifelong dream and secured a place in the Wimbledon main draw.
Australia’s former junior French Open champion overcame American Bjorn Fratangelo in four sets in the final round of qualifying at Roehampton on Thursday.
Popyrin recovered from a mini mid-match collapse – when he dropped the third set, received a warning for swearing and went down a break early in the third set – to clinch a tension-filled 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) victory on his second match point.
Once again cheered on by his new grasscourt advisor, 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, Popyrin was overjoyed to secure his place in Friday’s draw.
“It’s defintiely a dream come true. I did it the hard way today but I’m happy to be in the main draw,” Popyrin said.
“I’m definitely enjoying that. It’s always special to have a legend in the game on your side, in your camp, and he’s definitely been giving me a lot of advice, a lot of tips here and there, especially on the grass court.
“He’s just a great motivator before the match.”
Popyrin broke into the world’s top 100 this week but missed last month’s direct entry deadline for Wimbledon.
But having already reached the third round of this year’s Australian Open as a wildcard, the 19-year-old knows he belongs on tennis’s biggest stages.
The Spain-raised Sydney talent joins compatriots Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, John Millman, Matt Ebden and Bernard Tomic in the All England Club’s men’s field.
In stark contrast to Popyrin’s elation, there was only despair for countrymen Andrew Harris and Jason Kubler.
Harris’s bid to follow in his mother’s footsteps by making the Wimbledon main draw ended in a crushing defeat at the hands of Frenchman Corentine Moutet.
Harris’ mother Anne Minter twice reached the last 16 at the All England Club, in 1988 and 1991, but the 25-year-old was no match for Moutet, succumbing 6-2 6-4 6-4 to the qualifying top seed.
And hoping to qualify for the second straight year, Kubler fell painfully short, the Queenslander blowing a two-sets-to-one lead in a 6-3 4-6 5-7 6-3 6-3 loss to Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama.
Arina Rodionova, Australia’s best singles performer at Wimbledon two years ago, was hoping to join world No.1 Ashleigh Barty, Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Gavrilova and Samantha Stosur in the 128-strong women’s draw later on Thursday.
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Rafael Nadal has hailed the brilliance of Alex de Minaur, calling him "a great player" after the Australian forced the Spanish legend to say…
The clay season promises to be one of high level and tight margins. With the Monte Carlo open just around the corner, it will…
In incredible scenes, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells was halted abruptly due to a "bee invasion." Less…
Marathon man Jordan Thompson has finally clinched his first ATP Tour title, with the Australian upsetting Norwegian Casper Ruud to lift the trophy in…
Alex de Minaur has earned the perfect 25th birthday present, booking a place in the final of the Rotterdam Open with an emphatic revenge…
While watching the recent Australian Tennis Open I became obsessively fixated on the same thought. Why has no one done a television biopic or…
