2023 Australian Open - 16 to 29 January

Alexei Popyrin beats Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open

By John Eastwood

19 Jan 2023

John Eastwood 19 Jan 2023

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Alexei Popyrin beat Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open
The Wild Card won in 5 sets in the second round
Popyrin will take on Ben Shelton in the third round

Alexei Popyrin beat Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open (Getty)

Alexei Popyrin beat Taylor Fritz in a major upset at the Australian Open. The wildcard won 6-7 7-6 6-4 6-7 6-2 against the eighth seed Fritz to reach the third round for the third time.

The Australian won in four hours and two minutes on John Cain Arena and was close to tears after the victory.

"This win, it means so much to me," Popyrin said. "I had the toughest year last year, didn't win many matches. I've won as many matches this year as I won in the whole of last year, and it's only January.

"Pre-season I put my head down and worked as hard as I could. I don't want that feeling I had last year ever again.

"I wrote that down to myself in my head, and I'm going to keep working, I'm going to keep pushing, I'm going to keep trying to go all the way.

"I was playing four hours, and me and my coach were locked in, it was like two against one against Fritzy. We had the same thoughts all the time," Popyrin said. "This is the dream for me and I don't want to wake up at all."

The World No.113 faces another American in the third round, World No.89 Ben Shelton.