Alexei Popyrin was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1999, but his story defies borders and is rooted in several cultures. His parents are Russians, who immigrated to Australia before he was born. Elena and Alex set the foundation for success for their son when they enrolled him at the Kim Warwick Tennis Academy when he was just four.

“My mum is my inspiration. I don’t remember the last time she missed a training session. She’s definitely never missed a match… The sacrifices she’s made are the reason I am where I am right now. I’m so grateful for everything that she’s done for me,” he shared in 2017. But what about his father?

His father was equally supportive and, it turns out, he has had quite a lot of love for tennis. Alex’s interest was in business, and he is also a co-founder of Ultimate Tennis Showdown, along with the French ex-coach of Serena Williams, Patrick Mouratoglou.

In 2021, when Popyrin took the decision to travel on the Tour on his own, his parents were supportive and still followed up on him. But when the tennis player was a young boy, Australia was not the only country he lived in. Where else did he spend time?

Due to some professional commitments, Popyrin’s father had to relocate when the son was young. So, as a young lad, he spent two years in Dubai. Later, his family moved to Spain as well, after which Popyrin spent some time in France for his tennis training. A testament to his diverse upbringing, Popyrin even speaks three languages fluently: English, Russian, and Spanish.

Interesting Fact: Alexei Popyrin has three siblings- Sisters Sonia and Anna and one younger brother, Anthony. Interestingly, Popyrin and Anthony served as ball boys during the 2009 Dubai Tennis Championships.

But do you know how every athlete has a moment in their life when they realize their purpose? He was just nine when he knew what he wanted. When he was in Dubai, his father requested his school for a two-week leave, as Popyrin needed to go to Croatia for a tournament. That was one experience that influenced his success as a professional.

Interesting Fact: Popyrin also played soccer in school. He was the striker and his coach, former Premier League player Carlton Palmer, tried convincing his parents that he should quit tennis and take up just soccer and concentrate on it. He knew Popyrin would make it big in the sport. But when the coach watched him play tennis, he said, “Yep, stick to tennis!”

As he navigated around the highs and lows of his career over the last couple of years, Alexei Popyrin continues to amaze his fans, be it by representing Australia at the Olympics or climbing to the top 30 this season. However, when he talks about his own achievements, Popyrin never forgets to mention how his parents have always been his ultimate inspiration to do better in the tennis world!

Alexei Popyrin speaks about how his parents are the driving force behind his tennis career

Alexei Popyrin turned professional after having a successful junior career where he even reached the No. 2 rank! The now-25-year-old player also won the French Open junior title. However, as he looked for the same success in the professional circuit of tennis, a fear haunted him: the pressure of performing up to everyone’s expectations.

In 2022, he said, “I still have that little voice in the back of my mind that says, ‘Your parents gave you so much, you won’t give up now, you will keep going and do what you always wanted to do as a kid and what your parents are passionate about would be happy if you could do it’.”

However, the Aussie who reached the third round at the 2024 Olympics added that he is aware of how “proud” he has made his parents already. “Having them in my corner and being able to come to them whenever I need their advice or need their opinion on something is not something I take for granted and I will never take that for granted,” he concluded.

Alexei Popyrin is making strides in the ATP circuit with his talent. As he continues to rise in the tennis world, his unique heritage will undoubtedly inspire fans worldwide! What do you think?