Alexei Popyrin’s Career Rankings Soar as ‘Muscle Memory’ Concludes Roland-Garros Journey

Despite being eliminated in straight sets by American Tommy Paul at Roland-Garros, Alexei Popyrin is poised to achieve a personal best ranking of No.21 in the world.

The fourth-round match against the world No.12 saw Popyrin struggle throughout, ultimately going down 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

Nonetheless, the 25-year-old from Australia has made his deepest run in the clay court Grand Slam, having only once advanced past the first round in his previous seven attempts.

In an interview with Stan Sport, Popyrin expressed that Paul made him “feel something I haven’t felt on the tennis court for a while”.

“He executed a tactically flawless match. His tennis was exceptional, effectively targeting my weaker side,” he noted.

“I didn’t perform at my best, but that’s a testament to him. He put me in an uncomfortable position and compelled me to play below my capability.”

Under the guidance of South African coaches Neville Godwin and Wayne Ferreira, Popyrin has taken a fresh approach to this clay season, which has proven beneficial.

Popyrin acknowledged that Paul had reverted him to some older habits.

“It was a very positive experience at the French Open. I believe what we’ve been practising is effective, and now it’s about honing those skills,” he shared.

“We began this shift a few weeks into the clay season, and for the first time, I’ve made it to the second week of the French Open.”

“It clearly works, but there will be instances where muscle memory kicks in and I default to my old ways; today was likely one of those matches. We’ll learn from it, and I’ll come back stronger, I’m sure.”

Paul’s triumph means he is the first American man to reach the French Open quarter-finals since Andre Agassi in 2003.

Coming off two consecutive five-set matches, Paul was highly efficient, saving 9 of the 10 break points he faced while converting 5 of the 6 opportunities he had.

Both athletes have previously claimed junior singles titles on the red clay in Paris, with Paul’s victory occurring a decade ago.

Popyrin is now turning his focus to the grass-court season, with Wimbledon just four weeks away. He achieved his best-ever third-round appearance in 2024.

“Last year taught me that to perform well on grass, I need to move comfortably on it,” he remarked.

“We worked diligently on improving my movement in the lead-up to Wimbledon last year, and it’s about repeating that process now.”

“The grass game differs greatly from clay, and even more from hard courts – it’s more aggressive, with shorter points and relying on strong serving and aggressive returns.”

“There’s a lot to work on and it’s distinct from our clay strategy, but it’s a game I’m accustomed to playing, so I’m excited about it.”

First, he plans to enjoy a few days in Paris with his girlfriend, Amy.