Zverev’s Comeback Ends Popyrin’s Toronto Title Defence
TORONTO — Top seed Alexander Zverev kept his composure under pressure to end Alexei Popyrin’s title defence at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers, battling back for a 6‑7(8), 6‑4, 6‑3 victory on Monday evening at the ATP Masters 1000.
The German looked visibly frustrated after squandering two set points in a tense opening‑set tie‑break, ultimately dropping it 8‑10. But rather than allowing the setback to derail his rhythm, Zverev quickly regrouped.
Turning the Match Around
In both the second and third sets, Zverev raced out to 3‑0 leads, taking early control and forcing Popyrin onto the defensive. His consistent serving and precise groundstrokes allowed him to dictate rallies, and his level only improved as the match wore on. By the closing stages, the 2020 US Open finalist was firmly in command, sealing victory with relative comfort.
“I had to tell myself, even though I lost the first set, I thought we were both playing actually quite well,” Zverev said after extending his head‑to‑head record to 4‑0 over Popyrin. “I did one or two mistakes in the end [of the tie‑break], and I was very unlucky with the net cord on set point. But all in all, I thought it was a high level, and if I continue playing that way, I’m going to get my chances — and that’s what I did.”
End of Popyrin’s Run
The defeat ends Popyrin’s hopes of a repeat title in Toronto. The Australian, who captured the trophy last year with a breakthrough run, was competitive throughout the first set but struggled to match Zverev’s consistency in the latter stages.
Zverev’s patient, composed comeback underlined his status as one of the favourites for the title this week. With his clean ball‑striking and tactical discipline, the top seed will look to carry his momentum deeper into the draw.
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