UTS1 Day 9 preview: Dustin Brown “The Artist” vs Alexei Popyrin “The Sniper”

After five frustrating losses The Artist Dustin Brown finally created a UTS masterpiece last Saturday when he rocked the world of El Torero, Feliciano Lopez.

Today the German will try to turn up the shotmaking volume once again when he meets The Sniper Alexei Popyrin in a match that could be seen as a battle for redemption.

“It will be an interesting match”, Brown told us. “I don’t think we’ve ever played. I don’t even know if we have practised together before, so it will be new for both of us.”

After a promising start 20-year-old Popyrin, the youngest player in the competition, has seen his luck take a turn for the worse at UTS. At one point he was sitting pretty at 3 and 2. But since then the Aussie has taken a nosedive and won just two of his last 12 quarters. The drubbings have been brutal and taken a toll on his psyche.

“He needs to work on that character a little bit more”

Pete Odgers analyses: ” He just needs to work on that character a little bit more. He’s been a little bit down on himself at times, but he is so young. We know he’s got a big game, we know he’s a lovely kid off the court as well. We know he works hard. He is, also, desperate to win.”

The Sniper desperately needs a positive effort, something to remind him that he’s got weapons that can cause his opponents to cower in fear. Brown has needs as well and wants to prove that he’s better than his UTS record.

And remember, every moment matters and every match is a chance to shine.