Aussie Alexei Popyrin has revealed how his head-turning title win in Montreal catapulted him into the world top 25 for the first time - but also saw him avoid slipping into the tennis wilderness. Popyrin, 25, is seeded 25th at Melbourne Park after his ATP ranking surged from 62 to 23 in August last year when he became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 to win an ATP Masters event.
![[Popyrin, 25, is seeded 25th at Melbourne Park after his ATP ranking surged from 62 to 23 in August last year when he became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 to win an ATP Masters event]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/03/93982849-14273055-image-m-92_1736566346468.jpg)
The Sydney raised star then stunned Novak Djokovic at the US Open to reach the fourth round, but Montreal was his sliding doors moment. After reaching the quarter-finals at the Cincinnati Open in 2023, Popyrin risked sliding back to around 90 in the world as he had significant rankings points to defend.
![[Popyrin beat five top-20 players to win the Canadian Open in stunning fashion (pictured)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/03/93983265-14273055-image-a-94_1736566533417.jpg)
Upsetting five top-20 players to win the Canadian Open ensured the points he lost at the subsequent Cincinnati tournament didn't really matter. 'I keep saying Montreal was a huge tournament, not only because it was a Masters 1000 and I won it but because if I hadn't won a match in Montreal and Cincinnati, I would have been ranked 90 in the world,' Popyrin told reporters in Melbourne.
![[Popyrin will face French world No.69 Corentin Moutet in the first round at Melbourne Park]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/11/03/93982851-14273055-image-a-93_1736566365290.jpg)
Alexei Popyrin has revealed how his head-turning title win in Montreal saw him avoid slipping into the tennis wilderness (pictured, with his partner Amy). Popyrin, 25, is seeded 25th at Melbourne Park after his ATP ranking surged from 62 to 23 in August last year when he became the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 to win an ATP Masters event.
