Alexei Popyrin overcame both 3-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and leg cramps to earn the Croatia crown on Sunday. Stan also went close to lifting the Croatia Open trophy 17 years after registering his maiden ATP tour level title at the same but just couldn’t beat Popyrin in his first final since 2019. The Aussie wasted would waste chances on multiple occasions but ultimately held against the Swiss veteran on Croatian Clay.
By winning in Umag, the 23-year old has become the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to seal a clay court tournament on the ATP tour. Popyrin displayed some hard fight to snatch 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 victory against the tour veteran in the Championship match on Sunday evening.
The match took many a turns with Popyrin yet again failing to capitalize on early breaks against a shaky Wawrinka in the opening set despite having a better rhythm to open the match. When the Australian cramped a 2-2 in third set, it appeared that the Swiss would take the charge from here on to break his title drought of six years but couldn’t overcome the 23-year old’s brutal hitting.
“My quad was done. But I managed to dig deep,” said Popyrin after his victory. “I don’t know how I won it honestly.”
Slugfest: Grueling Day for Popyrin in Umag
The Aussie for the second straight day would let slip in the break in the first set to eventually go one set down. Serving for the set at 5-4, Popyrin’s inner demons got better of him and with a shaky racket he was unable to hold his serve to close the opening set. From there the set eventually landed into a tiebreaker. He tried to turn the tables in the breaker after redeeming from 5-3 with a ferocious forehand winner but a composed Wawrinka didn’t lose his focus when it mattered most to claim the first set tiebreak 7-5.
BOOM 💥
Huge return from @AlexeiPopyrin99 🔥@CroatiaOpenUmag | #ATPUmag pic.twitter.com/OEV8G2HFeY
— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 30, 2023
After taking an early 3-0 lead and securing a chance to go up a double break, the youngster showed some fumbling as he allowed an under pressure Wawrinka to save three set points. For Popyrin however, one break was enough to bounce back and level the things by taking second set 6-3 In the third set, he broke Swiss’ serve early to close in on title however, the toll of battling previous four matches seemed to catch up quick with his movement and balance being hit by cramping quads.
“[My quad] was done at two all. I felt it cramp, I felt it strain, I think it’s pulled,” explained Popyrin after the match.
A clearly limping Popyrin gave the world No. 49 a chance to seize the opportunity after battling a leg that could seize up any time. However, to his credit, an excellent serving, big-hitting and never say die attitude saw the ATP #57 ranked Australian seal the deal to lift his second silverware.
Emotional Wawrinka vows to Return after the Generational Matchup
It is never easy to letting slip a match after taking the first set and even more so when you are bidding to win the first title in 5 years after fighting multiple injuries. Here is what the 38-year old teary-eyed Swiss said in the on-court interview after the heartbreaking loss.
“It’s an unbelievable honour to play somebody like Stan in the final,” said Popyrin. “I grew up watching him, Roger, Rafa and Novak play. And to play him in a final, and beat him in a final, honestly, words can’t describe how happy I am. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Popyrin also emotional had his own reasons to celebrate the victory takeaways from the Groundhog Day.
“For me it just dedicates everything that I sacrificed.
“Leaving my home country of Australia, my parents did that for me, to learn how to play on clay. For me to win my second ATP title on a clay court, with my parents in the crowd for the first time is unbelievable, and honestly I’m so happy.”
A tearful Wawrinka revealed on what Umag final (first in almost 4 years) meant to him:
“I won my first title here, a long, long time ago, always some great memories to come back.
“I know it’s so stupid to cry, but I love this sport so much, and you make it really special. Really hopeful I can come back, and thank you for the support throughout the week. Hopefully I see you next year,” he said in front of supporting Croats.
Hope the 38-year-old stays healthy, recovers from the loss on Croatian Clay and fulfill his promise another day.