Popyrin does not hide: "It has been the least pleasant season of my career"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 28 Nov 2025 | 13.05

Popyrin doesn't hide: "It has been the least pleasant season of my career." Photo: Gettyimages

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Alexei Popyrin has been one of the disappointments of 2025. After a 2024 where he was crowned champion of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, defeated Novak Djokovic in the US Open, and reached the top 20, specifically the 19th position, in that North American hard court swing.

Therefore, the expectations for Alexei Popyrin for this season were high; however, he did not live up to them in a year that has ended with him as the world number 54, without any titles, changing coaches, dealing with injuries, and with a record of 17 wins and 23 losses. In fact, he has not won a match since the first round of the US Open in August.

So, now that the season is over, the Australian has been self-critical and admits that it has been a year to forget. This was confirmed in an interview with the Australian newspaper The Age, where he discussed the turbulent season that has finally come to a close.

Alexei Popyrin doesn't make excuses and reflects on his season

"I feel like I have the level to return to the top 20, so my ranking doesn't worry me. I don't like where I am right now, and it's not a good picture, but I know what I am capable of doing with my game, and when I'm in the right mental state and training goes well, I feel like everything will fall into place, and I'll get back to where I should be. I've had bad luck this year with injuries and an illness earlier in the year, but you're bound to have years like this, and the important thing is how you recover."

Needed to disconnect from tennis after losing in the 1st round of Wimbledon

"I needed a break. I was almost two and a half to three months straight without rest, and that just with traveling, training, playing, and I think I reached a point where the week before Wimbledon I didn't feel ready, and that was already the second Grand Slam where it happened to me. It was probably the least enjoyable season of my career so far, but I learned a lot about how I want to approach the rest of my career."

Seeking to enjoy his career more

"I'm in the mid and final phase of my career, so I want to start enjoying the trips. I want to enjoy all the countries I visit. I listen to my coaches, Wayne Ferreira and Nev Godwin, and I've also listened to interviews with Michael Jordan and Andy Murray. They all say that, once it's over, they regret not having enjoyed it more. They all say that the overall experience of competing at a high level is the best thing that has ever happened to them in life. I don't want to regret at the end of my career for not having fun."

Looking forward to the Australian season to begin

"I can't wait to come back home. It's my favorite time of the year. I can also spend time with my family in Australia. That's going to be very important for me next year: trying to enjoy the tour as much as possible. Starting in Australia, in front of my local crowd, is going to be incredible. Honestly, I can't wait," says Alexei Popyrin, who wants to forget 2025 as soon as possible and focus on 2026.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Popyrin no se esconde: "Ha sido la temporada menos agradable de mi carrera"