Fans find their voice for new kids on block
NEW Aussie sensations Alexei Popyrin and Alex Bolt have urged home crowds to give them loud support as they prepare for the biggest matches of their lives today.
Teenage wildcard Popyrin will take on French 28th seed Lucas Pouille after advancing to the third round of the Australian Open against Austrian world No.8 Dominic Thiem.
Still soaking up the magnitude of success at his first Open, the 19-year-old said he felt “amazing” and “I’m feeling pretty confident. I think I’m playing pretty well and the experiences on the big stadiums give me a boost,” he said.
Popyrin said he thrived on the crowd support. “Aussie crowds are amazing – I reckon they’re the best crowds, if you’re Australian,” he said.
“They give you that extra energy, that extra motivation to fight when you’re in a tough position.
“I hear them and I use them as motivation when they are cheering my name.”
Popyrin, from Sydney, and South Australian Bolt, 26, were yesterday the toast of Australian tennis after defying the odds and advancing to the third round.
Bolt, who temporarily quit tennis two years ago to work as a fence builder, said he had nothing to lose against German world No.4 Alexander Zverev.
But he also wanted the crowd to play its part.
“They were half the reason why I got over the line last time,” he said.
“I’m not quite used to that, so I’m just trying to soak it up, embrace it and use it.”
Bolt said his week had been “surreal”.
“Growing up, I guess I always dreamt of doing something like this, but for it to actually be a reality now is pretty unreal,” he said.
World No.149 Popyrin, who won the junior boys singles title at the French Open in 2017, said there was excitement and encouragement among Aussie young guns trying to make their mark on the world stage:
“We are all happy for each other. We know what we’ve all been through, the hard work and dedication we’ve put in, and just to see it paying off is really amazing.”
A self-confessed sneaker freak with a love of sports shoes, Popyrin could easily add to his collection with a guaranteed prize cheque of at least $155,000 coming his way.
But he said he would use his winnings wisely as he continued his quest to be ranked among the top 100 players.
“I’m going to keep it solely on tennis and travel and accommodation and all that stuff,” he said.