Alexei Popyrin beats Andrey Rublev to cap torrid Montreal run for first Masters 1000 title

Alexei Popyrin has popped off in Montreal with a brilliant performance to become the newest member of the ATP Masters 1000 champion’s club.

On Monday, Popyrin completed a dream week in Montreal that saw him string together five consecutive Top 20 wins. In his triumphant final act, the 25-year-old outslugged No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev, 6-2, 6-4, to hoist the Omnium Banque Nationale trophy.

"I think it's not a level that I haven't seen myself produce in practice or in an occasional match here and there, but considering the occasion, considering what we were playing for, I think with the level that I played, it probably is the best match that I've played in my life," the new title holder proclaimed in his press conference. "For me I'm not kind of most proud about how I played in this final. It's more how I played throughout the whole week, the level that I produced the whole week to play these top guys. To beat them with the level of tennis that I showed was really a testament to everything."

Popyrin is the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 event since Lleyton Hewitt repeated as Indian Wells champion in 2003. The product of Sydney will rise to a career-high ranking inside the Top 25, all but ensuring himself a seeding at the upcoming US Open.

The match was in Popyrin’s hands from the start, as Rublev double-faulted on back-to-back points to drop serve at love in the opening game. Popyrin displayed his range of shot-making, from uncorking blistering serves to shortening the court with his feel and coming forward to finish points. Rublev had few answers in falling behind a double break.

A massive second-serve return winner enabled Popyrin to repeat his first-set start with an immediate break. At 1-2, Rublev requested the doctor after indicating an issue with his stomach. Having taken some medication, he eventually got back on even terms for 3-3, only to watch Popyrin roar with delight after seizing control of a rally with his forehand to generate the re-break. Three games later, he celebrated his third tour-level crown by serving out the encounter after Rublev staved off two match points.

"I wanted to put a statement in the first game," said Popyrin. "I did that, which I think rattled him a little bit. [It] was part of the game plan. I just continued from there."

Popyrin previously knocked off No. 14 Ben Shelton, No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov, No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz and No. 18 Sebastian Korda after launching his event by winning an unseeded matchup with 39th-ranked Tomas Machac.