Alexei Popyrin: Why the Australian Star’s First Trip to New York City With Family Was a Painful Experience?

For Alexei Popyrin, New York “is probably one of the most hectic cities in the world.” New York City, with its relentless energy and vibrant streets, is often a dream destination for many. But for Popyrin, who’s back in the Big Apple for the US Open, his memories of this bustling metropolis aren’t as dreamy as many might think. Reflecting on his first trip here as a kid, the Australian tennis star revealed that the experience wasn’t as magical as one might imagine for a child visiting such a happening city. 

Popyrin has played some sensational tennis on the American hard courts lately. After clinching his first ATP 1000 title at the Canadian Open in Montreal, the star player has given his best performance at the US Open so far, advancing to the fourth round. He overcame major roadblocks in the form of Novak Djokovic to make the experience memorable for himself. But as he engaged in an interview with ATP Tour.com, he revealed an unfortunate incident that unfolded on his first trip to New York. 

Speaking in the interview, Popyrin revealed that he first visited the city when he was just eight years old while connecting through an airport. “It was a one-day layover, and my younger sister, she was about two years old, she was really sick,” Popyrin said. “She kind of fainted at the airport and we had to go to the hospital here in New York, so that was my first experience here in New York.” He further revealed that he was on his way to play at the Nike Junior Tour in Punta Cana. The troubles seem to resonate with him even today. 

Despite witnessing a successful campaign in the city, Popyrin considers it to be the most hectic place in the world. He admitted that the maximum he can spend in the city is two weeks. However, there are always two sides to a coin. The 28th seed has not failed to take advantage of the city’s entertainment and has enjoyed some good times like watching Hamilton. 

 “[It was] unbelievable. I think theater is slowly becoming one of my favourite things to go and watch. In London, we went to Book of Mormon, which was so funny. It was unbelievable. I enjoyed it a lot. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it’s funny,” Popyrin said. “Then here we went to Hamilton, and they’re all so talented. The people who sing and act there are unbelievable. While the star player might not have loved the city as much, it seems like the city is starting to love him gradually.

Alexei Popyrin reveals heartwarming incident in New York

Alexei Popyrin’s incredible talent is not just giving him due recognition on the court, but off of it as well. While he believes that he is yet to match the level of his colleagues like Carlos Alcaraz, he is enjoying the limelight in New York. 

Speaking in the same interview, the 25-year-old shared an incident that took place during the intermission of Hamilton. “I went to the toilet, but there was this huge line, and this one guy came up to me and said, ‘Hey, well done in Montreal’ in the middle of a huge crowd, so it was quite cool.” He also revealed that he gets stopped a couple of times a day by his fans while walking on the streets. “I have enjoyed the extra attention after Montreal.”

But Popyrin is focused on his game and does not pay a lot of attention to this limelight. As he continues to advance further, it would be interesting to see if he can unleash a similar gameplay like Montreal, at the US Open as well.