Boom youngster Alexei Popyrin has lived up to the hype to surge into the second round of Wimbledon with a straight-sets statement win over Pablo Carreno Busta.
After stampeding through the qualifying draw, Popyrin outgunned the 2017 US Open semi-finalist 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-2 in his much-anticipated main-draw debut at the All England Club on Monday.
The 19-year-old Australian signed off with four straight aces to wipe out Carreno Busta, a one-time world No. 10, in less than two hours.
Australia's exciting teenage prospect next plays Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday and will fancy his chances of continuing his charge.
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Popyrin thundered down 15 aces in all, but was also hugely impressive at the net.
Australia teen Alexei Popyrin is living up to the Wimbledon hype.Credit:AAP
Showing the strides made under the grass-court tuition of 1987 Wimbledon Pat Cash, the young net rusher – who stands a towering 195 centimetres tall – won 28 points moving forward.
Elsewhere, one time Australian No. 1 Daria Gavrilova said she was considering taking time out from tennis after confessing to struggling mentally following her swift first-round exit.
"I'm not in a good headspace right now," she said after a 7-5, 6-0 collapse against eighth seed Elina Svitolina.
Daria Gavrilova crashed out in the first round, saying she was struggling mentally.Credit:AP
Ranked 20th in the world two years ago, Gavrilova is set to tumble to around 89th after her 11th first-round defeat of an injury-ravaged season.
The 25-year-old has been battling debilitating plantar fasciitis in her foot as well as Achilles tendonitis, which have conspired to erode the usually bubbly star's confidence.
Gavrilova said a mid-career sabbatical may be the solution.
"It's a tough decision to make and it's a bit scary at the same time," she said.
"I would feel a bit guilty doing that, for some reason, but I think it could be the decision I have to make probably because my wellbeing comes first before trying to be a good tennis player.
"I just have to break the cycle. I've been having days when I'm super motivated and I'm up and about and days where I'm like 'I'm struggling'."
Gavrilova said she could barely walk after a long match in Eastbourne last week.
"I got out of bed and I was really struggling to put any weight on my feet," she said. "So if that's going to be my tennis career, I'm not sure that's how I want to do it. But the scary part is if I do take time off, it's not a guarantee that it's going to get much better."
Gavrilova capitulated from 5-5 in the first set against Svitolina, conceding the last eight games of the match.
"I'm struggling mentally and this is what it came to," she said. "I felt that I was dictating, but then I got really nervous from 5-all, hit two double faults in one game and didn't win a game from then.
"Definitely lack of confidence. I already don't have much to fall back on because I have not been winning a lot of matches and because of injuries I have not been training as much.
"A few times during the first set I copped out of a few rallies and went for a bigger shot than normal, where normally I'll just grind and make my opponent miss. But that's not what I'm doing right now."
World No. 2 Naomi Osaka was defeated in the first round.Credit:AP
There were a few other high-profile first-round exits on Monday. Naomi Osaka, the defending US Open anRead More – Source
Boom youngster Alexei Popyrin has lived up to the hype to surge into the second round of Wimbledon with a straight-sets statement win over Pablo Carreno Busta.
After stampeding through the qualifying draw, Popyrin outgunned the 2017 US Open semi-finalist 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, 6-2 in his much-anticipated main-draw debut at the All England Club on Monday.
The 19-year-old Australian signed off with four straight aces to wipe out Carreno Busta, a one-time world No. 10, in less than two hours.
Australia's exciting teenage prospect next plays Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev on Wednesday and will fancy his chances of continuing his charge.
Advertisement
Popyrin thundered down 15 aces in all, but was also hugely impressive at the net.
Australia teen Alexei Popyrin is living up to the Wimbledon hype.Credit:AAP
Showing the strides made under the grass-court tuition of 1987 Wimbledon Pat Cash, the young net rusher – who stands a towering 195 centimetres tall – won 28 points moving forward.
Elsewhere, one time Australian No. 1 Daria Gavrilova said she was considering taking time out from tennis after confessing to struggling mentally following her swift first-round exit.
"I'm not in a good headspace right now," she said after a 7-5, 6-0 collapse against eighth seed Elina Svitolina.
Daria Gavrilova crashed out in the first round, saying she was struggling mentally.Credit:AP
Ranked 20th in the world two years ago, Gavrilova is set to tumble to around 89th after her 11th first-round defeat of an injury-ravaged season.
The 25-year-old has been battling debilitating plantar fasciitis in her foot as well as Achilles tendonitis, which have conspired to erode the usually bubbly star's confidence.
Gavrilova said a mid-career sabbatical may be the solution.
"It's a tough decision to make and it's a bit scary at the same time," she said.
"I would feel a bit guilty doing that, for some reason, but I think it could be the decision I have to make probably because my wellbeing comes first before trying to be a good tennis player.
"I just have to break the cycle. I've been having days when I'm super motivated and I'm up and about and days where I'm like 'I'm struggling'."
Gavrilova said she could barely walk after a long match in Eastbourne last week.
"I got out of bed and I was really struggling to put any weight on my feet," she said. "So if that's going to be my tennis career, I'm not sure that's how I want to do it. But the scary part is if I do take time off, it's not a guarantee that it's going to get much better."
Gavrilova capitulated from 5-5 in the first set against Svitolina, conceding the last eight games of the match.
"I'm struggling mentally and this is what it came to," she said. "I felt that I was dictating, but then I got really nervous from 5-all, hit two double faults in one game and didn't win a game from then.
"Definitely lack of confidence. I already don't have much to fall back on because I have not been winning a lot of matches and because of injuries I have not been training as much.
"A few times during the first set I copped out of a few rallies and went for a bigger shot than normal, where normally I'll just grind and make my opponent miss. But that's not what I'm doing right now."
World No. 2 Naomi Osaka was defeated in the first round.Credit:AP
There were a few other high-profile first-round exits on Monday. Naomi Osaka, the defending US Open anRead More – Source
