Alexei Popyrin wins 2024 National Bank Open

Alexei Popyrin (Google Images)

Alexei Popyrin of Sydney, Australia has won the 2024 National Bank Open in Montreal. On Monday, Popyrin, who was unseeded, defeated the fifth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia, for the biggest win of his career. In straight sets, Popyrin was victorious 6-2, 6-4.

A major reason for Popyrin’s win over Rublev was his serve. Popyrin had 10 aces compared to three double faults, and Rublev had four aces compared to five double faults. Rublev also did not have good body language throughout the final, expressed frustration, and got down on himself several occasions.

Rublev was one of four seeded players Popyrin beat in Canada over the last week. He also upset the 11th seed and 2023 United States Open semifinalist Ben Shelton of the United States 6-4, 7-6 in the second round, the seventh seed and three-time grand slam semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the third round, and the fourth seed and 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 3-6, 7-6, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.

This was Rublev’s third career ATP title. He previously beat Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the final of the 2021 Singapore Open, and three-time grand slam champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the 2023 Croatia Open.

Popyrin is the sixth Australian male all-time to win the Canadian Open. He has followed Mervyn Rose of Coffs Harbour, (who won an all-Australian final in 1953 as he beat Rex Hartwig of Culcairn 6-3, 6-4, 6-2), Roy Emerson of Blackbutt (1964), Rod Laver of Rockhampton (1970), John Newcombe of Sydney (1971), and Patrick Rafter of Mount Isa (1998).

This was also the second straight year an Australian reached the National Bank Open men’s final. In 2023, Jannik Sinner of Italy beat Alex de Minaur of Sydney, 6-4, 6-1. 

In the National Bank Women’s Open in Toronto, Jessica Pegula of Buffalo, New York won her second straight Canadian Open as she beat 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova of Freehold Township, New Jersey, in an all-American final, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. A key statistic here was the serve. Pegula had six aces and four double faults, and Anisimova had two aces and nine double faults.

Pegula only beat one seeded player in Toronto this past week. In the semifinals, she beat the 14th seed Diana Shnaider of Russia, 6-4, 6-3. In the 2023 National Bank Open final, Pegula steamrolled past Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, 6-1, 6-0.

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