Croatia Open: Popyrin wins epic against Arnaldi to reach first final of 2023

Australian Alexei Popyrin has advanced to his second career final, defeating Italian Matteo Arnaldi in a 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-3 marathon to make the final of the Croatia Open in Umag on Saturday evening.

It was an up and down match, with Popyrin twice leading by a break in the first set, only to lose after an hour and a half in a tiebreaker.

“I don’t know how I was standing after the first set, but I told myself to dig deep, and just to fight with everything I have,” said Popyrin after the match. “It’s tough losing a first set after an hour and a half, especially in a tiebreak. Especially when I was up a break two times in that set.”

“It’s not every day you get to play for a final in an ATP tournament, so there’s no point in quitting when you’re down a set, even if it’s a long set. I’m very proud of myself the way I was able to stay in that match and come out in the second set and play like it was still the first set.

“In the third set, anything can happen, it comes down to who’s physically stronger. And today, I was physically stronger.”

Ahead of his semi-final victory, the Australian won against Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi (6-4, 7-5), Austrian Sebastian Ofner, the No 3 seed (6-4, 6-1) and Croat wildcard Dino Prizmic (7-6 (2), 7-5). Arnaldi, ranked No 76, won against Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong (6-3, 6-2), Flavio Cobolli (6-3, 7-6 (5)) and top seed Jiri Lehecka (3-6, 6-2, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.

World No 90 Popyrin will play the winner of the match between Swiss Stan Wawrinka, the No 6 seed, and Italian Lorenzo Sonego, the second seed, in what will be his second ever ATP-level final, after winning the Singapore Open in 2021.

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