Alexei Popyrin has revealed that winning his first Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Montreal last year gave him a greater sense of achievement than his subsequent third-round victory over Novak Djokovic at the US Open. The Australian rose to the occasion by defeating a string of top-tier opponents including Ben Shelton, Hubert Hurkacz, Grigor Dimitrov, and Andrey Rublev en route to his breakthrough at the 2024 Canadian Masters.

Before that milestone, Popyrin’s only Masters 1000 quarter-final appearance was singular, and he had yet to compete in the main draw in Canada. In contrast, weeks later, he produced a significant upset by defeating the defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic in four sets, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

“Against Novak, I think everybody always knew that I’m capable of producing a one-match stunner,” Popyrin told the ATP Tour website. “But I want to get back to winning the matches that I should be winning, stringing together wins and then giving a good account in the matches that I’m the underdog.”

He described his Masters triumph as “easily a bigger buzz than the US Open win over Novak because I put together six matches consecutively against Top 20 opponents and beat them all.” Popyrin emphasized his focus on consistency: “As you look for that consistency, you don’t want to take away anything from your big explosive game; it’s more about staying in rallies longer and waiting for the right opportunity rather than going for an unbelievable shot.”

This year, Popyrin is set to defend his Canadian title, beginning against world No. 638 Nicolas Arseneault in the tournament’s expanded two-week format. After a career-high ranking of world No. 21 following a strong French Open showing, he acknowledges the pressure of defending a large number of points. “I’d be lying if I said there’s no pressure [defending the Canada title],” he said. “Every year you have to go in defending points… Going into Toronto, I’m trying to not put too much pressure on myself and I know that once those points are off, I’ll have like a little bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Fellow Australian Alex de Minaur recently praised Popyrin’s athleticism, noting, “For a big, tall guy Pop’s movement is extremely good… he’s also got the ability to retrieve and defend with his legs, giving his opponents something else to think about.” Popyrin concurred, stating, “People see me as tall and lanky, very uncoordinated, and think I might be a slow mover. But I feel movement comes naturally to me, that I’m quite quick for a big guy and I can get out of corners quite easily. I definitely see it as a weapon of mine.”

On a personal note, Popyrin announced his engagement to longtime partner Amy Pederick in November 2024, with wedding details yet to be disclosed.

Carlos Alcaraz, at just 22 years old, has reached a significant milestone: his 100th week in the top two of the ATP rankings. This achievement places him as the second-youngest player in ATP history to spend 100 weeks in the top two, trailing only Rafael Nadal, who accomplished the feat at age 21.

Alcaraz has spent 36 weeks at No. 1 and 64 weeks at No. 2. Nadal’s initial 100 weeks in the top two, extending to 160 weeks, were all in the No. 2 position behind Roger Federer. Bjorn Borg reached this milestone at an age slightly older than Alcaraz.

Though Alcaraz is not competing in the Canadian Open this week due to minor muscle issues and the need for physical and mental recovery, his position in the rankings remains strong. He is well ahead of No. 3 Alexander Zverev by 2,570 points in the ATP rankings and leads the ATP Race to Turin by 4,160 points over No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz has expressed regret about missing Toronto, stating, “After many consecutive weeks of competition without rest, I will not be able to play in Toronto this year. I have small muscles issues and I need to recover physically and mentally for what comes next. To the tournament and to my fans in Canada I am very sorry, I will see you…”

Looking forward, Alcaraz has a clear chance to reclaim the No. 1 ranking before the year ends. Although currently 3,430 points behind Jannik Sinner, who has amassed far more points over the same period last year, opportunities arise notably at the US Open. Sinner will defend 2,000 points as the reigning champion, while Alcaraz defends only 50 points, making a leaderboard shift plausible depending on their performances.

Alcaraz is scheduled to return to competition at the Cincinnati Open in two weeks, where Sinner will defend 1,000 points from his title last year, and Alcaraz will defend 10 points from an early exit. The No. 1 ranking may not be decided there, but the season’s remaining tournaments could alter the standings significantly.

Jasmine Paolini recently confirmed a new coaching partnership with Federico Gaio, an active ATP singles player, following her decision to part ways with Marc Lopez after Wimbledon. Paolini appointed Lopez, a former world No. 3 in men’s doubles and a member of Rafael Nadal’s team until his retirement in 2024, in March after ending a decade-long collaboration with Renzo Furlan.

The Italian saw notable success during her time with Lopez, including winning the WTA 1000 title in Rome and reaching the Stuttgart semifinals. Despite these achievements, the pair decided to end their collaboration following Paolini’s Wimbledon campaign. Paolini said in Montreal, “I’m here with Federico Gaio, who will also help me in Cincinnati and the US Open,” adding that she is still organizing future plans.

Federico Gaio, who has not competed professionally for 16 months, turned pro in 2009 and has claimed four Challenger titles in his career. Paolini acknowledged the progress made with Lopez, stating, “We had some great results together, especially in Rome and Paris [where she was doubles champion with Sara Errani]. I appreciate all the hard work and energy Marc gave every day.”

Paolini has recently faced challenges with a knee injury that led her to withdraw from the Hopman Cup. Despite this, she remains optimistic about her recovery and upcoming tournament participation. She expressed her disappointment at missing the Hopman Cup but supported her teammates Lucia Bronzetti and Flavio Cobolli, wishing them the best performance for Italy’s campaign.

The Italian will begin her 2025 Canadian Open run as the seventh seed against world No. 110 Aoi Ito. Paolini’s only previous appearance at this event was in 2023, exiting in the third round against Jessica Pegula.