Popyrin's Australian Open Exit Sparks Frustration: 'This Can't Continue'

Alexei Popyrin Falls in 5-Set Thriller to Alexandre Muller at Australian Open, Despite 40 Aces and Near Victory

© AFP

Adrien Guyot

le 20/01/2026 à 14h25

2 min to read

Muller Alexandre Open d'Australie Popyrin Alexei

Alexei Popyrin failed to overcome the first-round hurdle at the Australian Open. The Australian, ranked 50th in the world, came close to closing it out three times but couldn't secure a match point and ultimately fell to a resilient Alexandre Muller.

The Frenchman, trailing 5-2 in the fourth-set tiebreak, forced a fifth set. While the 2024 Montreal Masters 1000 winner served for the match in the fifth set, Muller ultimately had the final say in the super tiebreak (2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in 3h53).

The 26-year-old player, dejected after his defeat despite 78 winners (including 40 aces), faced the press shortly after his elimination. He feels he let his chance slip away.

"I Felt Like I Was Controlling Almost the Entire Match"

"It's disappointing. I'm obviously not happy. I felt like I was controlling almost the entire match and I couldn't finish it. That's pretty much it. My serve wasn't as effective as it could have been, even though I felt like I served really well today (Monday).

I just couldn't put the finishing touches on it. It's really disappointing. For me, it's really hard to accept. I think I'm just doing a lot. I work a lot. I think a lot about my career.

"The Results Just Aren't Following"

With results like these, and the ones I've had in recent months, and obviously starting the year like this, it's not easy to accept. And that's even though I feel like I'm playing well and doing everything I want to do. The results just aren't following.

I guess that's sometimes how it is in tennis, but when it keeps happening again and again, I might have to look at myself in the mirror and deep within myself, because it can't continue like this," Popyrin told tournament media.