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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2020

Alexei Popyrin

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. POPYRIN/J. Munar

6-2, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What did you like about today?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Everything. I think I played a pretty solid game throughout the whole match. I served well, didn't get broken, which was a plus. My forehand was really working today.

I think his game style kind of gave me a little bit more time. I got to hit the balls on the rise, attack, come in, be on the front foot most of the match.

In the tiebreak, I just, yeah, grinded it out.

Q. You must feel like things are coming together? You said 2019 was a strong year, happy with your pre-season, now a good start to this tournament. Feel like you're on the up at the moment?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, 2019 was, honestly in Grand Slams, probably the best year I've ever had because it was the first year. On the ATP it was kind of a mixed bag, qualifying but not winning many matches in main draws of ATPs.

That's one thing I'm looking to change this year, is to perform well in Grand Slams and keep performing well. Hopefully I can win more matches on the ATP main draw.

Q. You defended points from last year now. Is that a bit of a load off?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, it's a plus, that's for sure. But I'm more focused on the matches and the experience than the points. I think if I play well, if I do what I've been training, then the points will come themselves because the results will come.

Q. What's the plan against Medvedev?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: He's probably the hottest opponent you could get right now. Yeah, I played him in Wimbledon last year. I had opportunities.

I took him to four, won the first set, was a break up in the third. I think I'm a better player right now than I was in Wimbledon. I did a lot of work in pre-season.

Hopefully I can take the chances I -- get the chances that I had in Wimbledon on Saturday and convert them.

Q. What do you make of what he did in the U.S. hard court summer?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: That was unreal. I think everybody was in shock with that performance. Making how many finals in a row? I don't even know, yeah.

He shocked everybody. He's continued that level throughout. He's one of the best players in the world right now.

Q. What is the ball like that you face from him, the main strength?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: The ball?

Q. When he's playing well, what is he doing well?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Oh, yeah, he's just not missing. He did not miss at all. I think grass isn't his strongest surface, and that's what I played him on.

I think hard is probably his favorite surface. He can stand where he stands on the baseline and just get every single ball back.

He also creates opportunities for himself from the baseline. Doesn't come in much, which, yeah, is probably a plus for me. If he could come in, then he'd probably be the best player in the world, I think.

But, yeah...

Q. Do you know him very well? Practiced together?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: No, never practiced with him. I remember playing my first year on juniors, he was one of the top juniors. Never got a chance to play against him.

Q. Some similarities there, similar heights, backgrounds, the way you play. Some similarities there?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Well, yeah, I think we're both more comfortable on the baseline. But I'm looking to come in a lot. I'm looking to be aggressive. Yeah, I think there are a lot of similarities with our game.

We both got big serves. We take advantage of that, yeah.

Q. Coming in, you have to be particularly precise with that? You're saying he doesn't miss?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, definitely, but I think that's my only chance of winning. Not many people can rally with him on the baseline. He's probably the best of rallying on the baseline.

My game is to come in. If I steer away from that, then I definitely won't win. I have to play my game against him.

Q. Do the courts and balls play fast enough to give that style of game a crack for you?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Definitely. I don't think it matters what court you play on for my style of game. I think, yeah, playing on any surface, I'm going to look to play my game. I'm not going to change my game at all.

I'm always going to be aggressive, I'm always going to try to be on the front foot, come into the net and have the big serve. If it's clay, if it's grass, if it's hard, if the balls are fast, it's the same game.

Q. How much different are you than this time last year when it was your first real taste at this level getting this far?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: I think I've gotten a lot of experience last year. I'm not kind of star-struck by being in the third round any more. I think I wouldn't say got used to it, but I'm more, like, self-centered and more focused on the third round.

Q. Second-set tiebreak was pretty impressive. Did you feel you were in trouble there?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Definitely, yeah. If you're 5-1 down in the tiebreak, you're always in trouble.

But yesterday I played doubles with Blakey. We were 6-1 down in the tiebreak and we came back. We had set points. We lost that tiebreak 13-11.

I was just thinking to myself, if we could do that yesterday, why can't I do it today. It was just hold my serve, win two points on his serve. That was the key. That's what I did.

Q. Against Medvedev, you back yourself in, be aggressive?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah.

Q. You've got to be confident, don't you?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Nothing to lose at all. He's one of the best players in the world. It's going to be a great challenge for me. I'm really looking forward to it.

Q. You and Nick Kyrgios might be the two Aussies in the third round playing on Saturday. How different or similar are the two of you? How well do you know him?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah, I've kind of gotten to know him much more as I've progressed through the rankings, as I've started playing ATP events.

He's a great guy. His game, you know, I think our games are very, very similar: big serve, big forehand, looking to come in. Got a little bit of flair. All that, I think there's a lot of similarities in our game.

Q. He's dedicating this to Alex de Minaur. Have you been in touch with Demon?
ALEXEI POPYRIN: Yeah. What happened to Demon this summer was really not pleasant to see, not pleasant to watch. He was looking forward to playing the Aussie summer in front of the home crowd.

It's never pleasant seeing anybody having to withdraw from a slam, especially if you're playing in front of your home fans.

I'm here for him, and he knows that, so yeah.

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