Australia’s Popyrin wins first ATP title in Singapore

SINGAPORE: Australia’s Alexei Popyrin came back from a set down to beat Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik at the Singapore Open on Sunday and win his first ATP Tour title.

Popyrin started off badly, losing the first set 4-6 but charged back and snatched the second 6-0.

Bublik put up more of a fight at the start of the third, with both men holding their serve until it reached 2-2.

But Popyrin then surged ahead, firing a total of 11 aces, to take the set 6-2 and clinch the title.

The 21-year-old, who had earlier stunned former world number three Marin Cilic in the semi-finals, was delighted with his breakthrough.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to know I have won my first ATP title,” he said.

“I always have the belief that I can compete against the top guys and without that belief, I would not be able to win an ATP title. It’s a good start and hopefully I can build on this result.”

He added that Bublik “was mentally up and down so I just had to keep my head level and weather the storm when he was playing well in the first set. I was not scared -- I knew I was playing well”.

In the doubles finals, the formidable partnership between Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen proved too strong for Australia’s Matthew Ebden and JohnPatrick Smith as the Belgians won comfortably 6-2,6-3.