July 30, (THEWILL) – Australian tennis player, Alexei Popyrin, shattered Stan Wawrinka’s hopes of claiming his first title in six years in a compelling clay-court showdown.
Popyrin, ranked 90th in the world, came through 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 6-4 in an intense two-hour and 36-minute match to clinch the Umag clay-court title on Sunday. This marked his second career title, adding to his 2021 victory in Singapore.
The 23-year-old Popyrin showed remarkable composure, recovering from a 3-5 deficit in the opening set and ultimately prevailing in the tie-breaker. Despite requiring assistance from the trainer twice during the third set, the young Australian remained resolute. He notched a pivotal break in the ninth game of the deciding set and impressively served out for victory, leaving the 38-year-old Wawrinka disappointed in his pursuit of a 17th career title, the first since Geneva in 2017.
The existence of the former world number three Wawrinka, who had undergone two foot surgeries in 2021, was evident throughout the tournament and he will make a notable return to the top 50 in the world rankings next week after previously falling out of the top 300. Nevertheless, it was Popyrin’s day and he deserved his second career title.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
