'FEELING MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FRESH': POPYRIN BREAKS NEW GROUND AT ROLAND GARROS

Alexei Popyrin, Getty

Alexei Popyrin is having the best Roland Garros run of his career, reaching the third round on the Parisian clay for the first time.

Commencing second round action on Wednesday, Popyrin enjoyed a convincing 7-5, 6-4 victory over Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.

"For me, it's a really positive sign. It just shows that the work we've been putting in from the start of the clay court season is showing itself," Popyrin told The First Serve post-match.

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The 25-year-old has now reached the third round at the thirteen biggest events in men’s tennis (the Grand Slams and Masters 1000’s); a feat only matched by Alex de Minaur among our current Aussie male crop.

And on this occasion, he's done so without dropping a set, a feat which Popyrin knows is a luxury as you get deeper into the draw at a major.

"I feel mentally and physically fresh, and that's the most important thing going into your third match in a Slam. It's really important to feel like that," he said.

Popyrin, who is now being coached by Wayne Ferreira following a split with Xavier Malisse, has adjusted his backhand and is continually feeling more comfortable off that wing.

"It's a change of grip, but it's also a change of mentality when the backhand does come — it's not to panic and not to kind of try and change direction too quickly," he revealed.

The Aussie will face Portugal's Nuno Borges in the third round, as he seeks to reach the second week of a major for the second time (US Open 2024).

It was a tougher afternoon for Ajla Tomljanovic, who suffered a straight-sets defeat to red-hot Italian Jasmine Paolini.

Seeking to reach the last 32 in Paris for the first time since 2014, Tomljanovic was unable to deal with Paolini’s blend of consistency and well-timed aggression, going down 3-6, 3-6 on Philippe Chatrier.

The Aussie, who overcame compatriot Maya Joint in the opening round, used her depth to keep the second set tight, but was ultimately beaten by high-quality ball striking from the other end of the court.

For Paolini, it’s now an eighth straight victory coming off her title in Rome, as she bids to reach a second consecutive Roland Garros final and go one better in 2025.

Adam Walton, Alex de Minaur, and Daria Kasatkina will all contest their respective second round matches on Thursday in Paris.

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