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2019 Brisbane International Men's singles, first round Pat Rafter Arena, Queensland Tennis Centre Alex De Minaur vs Alexei Popyrin |
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A huge all-Australian battle will hit the Pat Rafter Arena in the first round of the Brisbane International as Alex De Minaur and Alexei Popyrin do battle. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from around 9:30pm (AEDT).
Two 19-year-old Australians by the name of Alex fight for a spot in the Brisbane International second round tonight. The Australian sporting public knows one Alex well, the other less so but you get the feeling this won’t be for much longer.
By the end of the 2018 season, Alex De Minaur had established himself as the highest ranked male Australian at no 31. His great year was capped by a finals spot at the ATP NextGen tournament in Milan, going down eventually to the Greek, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Although slightly built relatively to the majority of players on the ATP tour, De Minaur’s court craft and speed around the court should ensure that he remains among the top players on the tour for years to come.
He also has the quality that some other Australian players are lacking at the moment, tenacity. Having Lleyton Hewitt as mentor and doubles partner doesn’t hurt, and Hewitt’s influence is seen in the way that De Minaur plays.
By comparison, Alexei Popyrin continues his gradual rise up the rankings to a current number of 147.
Encouragingly, his best performance of 2018 came late in the Swiss Indoors in October where he beat 3 players inside the top 80, including Matt Ebden, before falling to Alex Zverev in the round of 16. His good form has earned him wildcards at Brisbane and Sydney.
At 196cm tall, Popyrin’s strength is his big serve and forehand.
Prediction
Both players are the same age but De Minaur is ahead in his development to date. Popyrin’s serve will test De Minaur but if he gets enough balls back into play, he should win.
De Minaur to win in straight sets.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Alex De Minaur has comfortably outplayed Alexei Popyrin tonight 6-2 6-2 in around the hour mark. He will take on the winner of Alex Bolt and Jordan Thompson in the next round. Hope you enjoyed the coverage tonight. Good night
Scott Pryde
Expert
Great win for De Minaur. Sounds like he has picked up where he left off. Hopefully he gets a somewhat favourable draw in Melbourne and makes a real fist of it. Thanks David.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Sliding serve sets up the forehand winner and its 15-0. Classy net point from De Minaur for 30-0. Strong serve sets up 3 match points. And a smash will finish it. GAME SET MATCH DE MINAUR! De Minaur 6 6 Popyrin 2 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
Double fault from Popyrin and its 0-30. Sliding ace makes it 15-30. Great defensive point from De Minaur earns him two break points. An ace saves the first. 30-40. Wow, De Minaur is relentless. It will go down as an unforced error from Popyrin but De Minaur is chasing down everything. He will serve for the match. De Minaur 6 5 Popyrin 2 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin has plenty of potential but too many errors in his game at the moment. He will get better as he gets more experienced. De Minaur pushes a backhand long. 0-15. Good rally from Popyrin finishes with a volley winner. 0-30. Great net point from Popyrin and he has 3 break back points. De Minaur nets a forehand and Popyrin has got one break back. De Minaur 6 4 Popyrin 2 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
Ace from Popyrin to start before a good forehand gets him to 30-0. De Minaur punishes a short ball and its 30-15. Great forehand pass from De Minaur and its back to 30-30. Big backhand crosscourt winner from Popyrin. 40-30. Backhand error for deuce. Popyrin wins a point at the net and has the advantage. Fantastic backhand crosscourt lob from De Minaur returns the game to deuce. Good service point from Popyrin. Another strong serve gets Popyrin on the board in the second set De Minaur 6 4 Popyrin 2 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
Sliding serve to the forehand sets up the first point. 15-0. Unforced backhand error for 30-0. Serve to the body forces the error for 40-0. Forehand winner from De Minaur and this is carnage at the moment De Minaur 6 4 Popyrin 2 0
David Holden
Roar Guru
Good net point from De Minaur takes the first point. 0-30 after a forced forehand error from Popyrin. Great defence from De Minaur sets up 3 break points. Popyrin makes a forehand error after De Minaur's speed around the court kept the ball in play. He has got the break and is in complete control now. De Minaur 6 3 Popyrin 2 0
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin wins the first point in a long rally. 0-15. A much better point for Popyrin where he controlled the rally. 0-30. A chance missed there with a short backhand netted by Popyrin. Its 15-30. Unforced error for 30-30. Too many of those. Good serve sets up a 40-30 lead. Serve into the body closes the game for De Minaur. De Minaur 6 2 Popyrin 2 0
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin to serve. Great defence from De Minaur takes first point. Unforced error and its 0-30. Good forehand from Popyrin forces a forehand winner. 15-30. Mishit forehand from Popyrin and De Minaur has two break points. One saved with a good approach and put away volley. The second is also saved with Popyrin hitting a forehand winner. Double fault though brings up another break point. A rare unforced error from De Minaur and its deuce. A further break point with an unforced error. Popyrin catches the tape with a forehand and De Minaur has early break De Minaur 6 1 Popyrin 2 0
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin has all the weapons at his disposal but De Minaur's speed around the court is forcing errors. De Minaur to serve for the first set. First serve forces the error. 15-0. Forehand winner from De Minaur for a 30-0 lead. Good serve to the body brings up three set points. De Minaur takes the first set in just 28 minutes De Minaur 6 Popyrin 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
203km/hr serve wins the first point. Big forehand winner for 30-0. Double fault now and its 30-15. Good point for Popyrin and he holds a 40-15 lead. A good serve then closes the game. De Minaur 5 Popyrin 2
David Holden
Roar Guru
Backhand error from Popyrin. 15-0. Good serve wins the second point. Big forehand winner from Popyrin hopefully gives him some confidence. 30-15. 40-15 after Popyrin makes a poor challenge. Sliding serve closes out the game. De Minaur 5 Popyrin 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
Ace to Popyrin for 15-0. Unforced forehand winner and its 15-15. Great forehand return from De Minaur and he leads at 15-30. Long rally again and De Minaur wins out. Its 15-40. Backhand error from Popyrin gives De Minaur a further break. De Minaur is at his best at the moment running down everything and Popyrin's frustration levels are growing De Minaur 4 Popyrin 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
Loose game there from Popyrin after a good start. De Minaur wins the rally and goes 15-0. The longer the rally, the better his chances. De Minaur runs down a drop volley and hits the backhand winner. Good serve for 40-0. Ace closes the game out. De Minaur 3 Popyrin 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
Great forehand cross court from Popyrin wins the point. He is impressive early. The mock is alive and well and he hits a forehand long. 15-15. Double fault and its 15-30. Popyrin goes for the forehand winner but misses. De Minaur has two chances. Double fault from Popyrin. He challenges the call but the serve was long. De Minaur has the early break De Minaur 2 Popyrin 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
No nerves from Popyrin early. Double fault from De Minaur. Good first serve follows up and draws the error for 15-15. De Minaur hits a forehand long under pressure. 15-30. Another double for De Minaur and Popyrin has break points. First serve to the body saves the first. Nice groundstroke rally from both players but De Minaur prevails. Deuce. Good rally again with same result. De Minaur has game point. Unforced error from De Minaur and its deuce again. De Minaur hits his forehand approach just long. Ad to Popyrin. Great serve to save the break point with a kicker to the backhand court. Popyrin hits a forehand just wide. De Minaur has game point. Good first serve and De Minaur has survived to hold serve De Minaur 1 Popyrin 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
Really looking forward to this one. De Minaur is probably going to win, but wouldn't care which way this went.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin to serve. Ace to start for 15-0. Another big serve sets up an easy forehand winner. Serve to the body for 40-0. Classy point from Popyrin and he holds serve. De Minaur 0 Popyrin 1
David Holden
Roar Guru
Popyrin won the 2017 French Open jnrs title. De Minaur 0 Popyrin 0