Popyrin hails Ferreira influence after breaking new ground at Roland-Garros
The Australian is through to the third round at Roland-Garros for the first time and on the verge of cracking the top 20
Alexei Popyrin, Roland-Garros 2025 | © Julien Nouet /Tennis Majors
When Wayne Ferreira became the coach of Jack Draper, the first thing he did was to try to convince the Briton to be more aggressive, to use his weapons.
The change was tough for the Briton, whose nature was not to miss, rather than to go for it. Their partnership lasted just four months before they split last August but since then, with James Trotman back in sole charge, Draper has nevertheless embraced Ferreira’s words and has become one of the most attacking players around, his forehand transformed.
So when he was hired as coach by Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in March of this year, bringing much-needed stability to his team, he said, there were many who expected the South African to suggest the same things. Instead, like every top coach, he was ready to be flexible.
“It was the opposite,” Popyrin told a small group of reporters at Roland-Garros on Wednesday, after easing into the third round at Roland-Garros for the first time in his career.
“I think Jack and I have different games, like, we’re kind of built similar but we’ve got different games.
“I think I can go ultra aggressive. And that’s my go to when I’m not feeling good, is to go for more, go for more. And for me (with Ferreira), it’s just reining back a little bit. I think that’s what he did when he came in.”
Popyrin : “We’ve changed the grip on the backhand”
A former junior champion at Roland-Garros, Popyrin said Ferreira, a brilliant tactician as a player, had also helped him technically.
“He really helped me on my backhand side, which is my weaker side,” he said. “We tinkered with the grip a little bit, we changed the grip. He came in and really gave that sense of calmness in the team also, which was really important for me at the time.”
Making a grip change well into a player’s career could be problematic for many but Popyrin, a big-server with a big forehand and good movement, said he was always open to ideas.
“I think it made sense for me,” he said. “I’m a kind of player that adjusts quite quickly to changes in technique and to changes in my game. So for me, I’m able to produce a level when I do change things, that’s good enough to be able to compete with players. So yeah, for me, it was a clear change, and it made sense to me in my head and it’s been working quite well actually.”
Consistency the aim
Popyrin won the biggest title of his career last summer when he won the Masters 1000 event in Canada and then went on to beat Novak Djokovic at the US Open on his way to the fourth round of a slam for the first time.
Victory over Nuno Borges, who beat an injured Casper Ruud in the second round, would put him on the verge of a place in the top 20 for the first time. The Portuguese won their only previous match so nothing will be taken for granted and Popryin said he was trying to ensure he has fewer highs and lows, aiming for consistency.
“I’ve always had that confidence, I think,” he said. “I think on my day, I can beat anybody, but it’s more that’s not important to me. What’s important to me is bringing a consistent level day in, day out.
“That’s what I’ve struggled with in the past. When I play a higher-ranked player, I tend to bring a good a good level, and I give (myself) a shot to to win. I think I’ve done that in the past a lot, but it’s just consistently bringing that level, even against lower-ranked opponents.
“Nuno, we’ve played once on hard court. Really tricky customer also got a really flat backhand, which causes trouble to a lot of players. He’s a really good clay-courter. So it’s going to be a really tough match.”
