A new Popyrin for 2026: "I feel more renewed and positive, it's a really good feeling"
The Australian is seeking to regain the consistency and level he did not have in 2025 due in part to a back injury from which he has now recovered during the opening tour of the year in his country.
Alexei Popyrin wants to turn the page on a forgettable 2025. After a 2024 where he won the Canada Masters 1000 and reached world number 19, this season neither his tennis, nor his physical condition, nor his mental state accompanied him in making the leap to become one of the best tennis players in the world.
In fact, this year he experienced a setback, ending as the ATP number 53, without any titles and with a negative record of 17 wins and 23 losses. That is why Alexei Popyrin does not want to continue in this negative dynamic and aims to return in 2026 as that incisive player capable of surprising top players, as he did with Novak Djokovic in the 2024 US Open.
According to Popyrin himself, the preseason has allowed him to disconnect from a year where he did not enjoy tennis, especially due to back pain that even took away his desire to travel for the ATP circuit. This was stated by the Australian in an interview with Tennis Australia before starting the season at the Brisbane ATP.
Alexei Popyrin admits feeling ready for 2026 after a forgettable 2025
"I'm lucky to have part of my family living in Dubai. I was able to invite some relatives of my fiance to spend Christmas, which was very nice. It was great to spend time at home. I feel completely different from how I felt when arriving in Brisbane last year. I feel more rejuvenated, positive, excited for the new year, and it's a really good feeling."
Highly motivated by what he can achieve this new year
"I believe that as long as I am prepared, I feel I have the level to be where I want, but it is important for me to focus and I feel that the preseason has gone incredibly well. The way I have arrived this week feels great. I hope to continue like this for the rest of the year."
After falling in the first round of Wimbledon, he hit rock bottom, and things did not improve
"I think it started at Wimbledon. I went through a rough patch there. I took a couple of weeks off, and then I returned feeling good, but then I got injured. When I came back from the injury, I didn't enjoy traveling much."
"I wanted to stay home, and I had to make an effort to travel. I spoke with my team at the end of the season, and I told them, 'Next year, I want to do things a bit differently.' I just want to enjoy my time traveling, do things I enjoy more off the court and then focus when I'm on the court."
He doesn't want to revisit 2025
"I feel very good. I think this will be the last time I talk about last year, and from now on, I just want to look towards the upcoming years. I want to forget about last year and look forward to this year with excitement, trying to implement that new mindset," stated Alexei Popyrin, who has a great opportunity on this tour in his country to rediscover his best tennis.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un nuevo Popyrin para el 2026: "Me siento más renovado y positivo, es una sensación realmente buena"