Alexei Popyrin beat Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-4 in the Canada final, 2024 on hard court in Montreal
Popyrin was unseeded and this was his first Masters final. Rublev had won Madrid earlier in the year
Popyrin won 72 points, Rublev 54
Serve Stats
Popyrin...
- 1st serve percentage (38/64) 59%
- 1st serve points won (32/38) 84%
- 2nd serve points won (9/26) 35%
- Aces 10, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/64) 30%
Rublev...
- 1st serve percentage (27/62) 44%
- 1st serve points won (17/27) 63%
- 2nd serve points won (14/35) 40%
- Aces 4 (2 second serves)
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (12/62) 19%
Serve Patterns
Popyrin served...
- to FH 46%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 10%
Rublev served...
- to FH 28%
- to BH 67%
- to Body 5%
Return Stats
Popyrin made...
- 45 (17 FH, 28 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 6 Winners (3 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 8 Errors, all unforced...
- 8 Unforced (4 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (45/57) 79%
Rublev made...
- 42 (22 FH, 20 BH), including 2 runaround FH
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (42/61) 69%
Break Points
Popyrin 4/9 (6 games)
Rublev 1/6 (3 games)
Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Popyrin 21 (14 FH, 3 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV)
Rublev 12 (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Popyrin's FHs - 5 cc (2 returns - 1 a runaround, 1 pass), 2 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 2 inside-out (1 at net), 4 inside-in (1 return, 1 at net)
- BH returns - 1 cc, 1 inside-out, 1 down-the-middle/inside-out
Rublev's FHs - 2 cc (1 pass at net), 2 inside-out, 1 longline, 1 drop shot
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl
- the FHV was a swinging inside-out
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Popyrin 27
- 19 Unforced (12 FH, 7 BH)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.3
Rublev 27
- 21 Unforced (15 FH, 5 BH, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (4 FH, 2 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.0
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Popyrin was 7/10 (70%) at net, with...
- 0/1 return-approaching
Rublev was 6/10 (60%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back
Match Report
Accurate serving, aggressive returning and some nice FH shot-making stamp a fluent showing from Popyrin. Rublev has his moments with hard-hitting FH play, but doesn’t serves well and is a little slow at times. Court is normal
Match is a little tougher than it looks
2 & 4 sound routine enough
Break points of Pop 4/9 (6 games), Rublev 1/6 (3 games) the same
It’s a little closer than the above would suggest, because Pop has to endure not-easy holds throughout match
6/9 Pop service games go to deuce, 3 of which he doesn’t face break points in
By contrast, 3/9 of Rublev’s do, but all 4 breaks are in games shorter than that
Call the result comfy enough, but not quite routine or easy than. Pop has better of serve-return contest and court action
Pop has good serve, Rube average at best
Pop returns with rare aggression, Rube normally
Pop leading in count 59% to 44% would be sizable advantage even with equal calibre serves. For the stronger quality server to lead to thus makes it doubly so
Aces/service winners - Pop 11, Rube 4
First serve ace/SW rate - Pop 29%, Rube 7%
Wouldn’t think Pop’s a 30% ace rate server. That high a yield is due to pinpoint precision rather than raw power, with a hand from Rube not being quickest of reactors. Some lovely, less-than-full-pace serves that are angled out right to the line to score that large lot of aces. Rube’s first serve tend to be readily coverable by contrast to the extent that all 8 return errors he’s drawn have been marked UEs
Return winners - Pop 6, Rube 0
How often do you see 6 return winners (2 against first serves, 4 against seconds) in a short 2 set match? Speaking both to Pop looking for and successfully being aggressive with the second shot, (which has a hand in all 8 of his return errors being UEs) and Rube’s serve being ordinary
By contrast, Rube returns normally (leaving Pop in position to command third ball or at most, have iniative to start rally). He also has 8 return errors (4 UEs, 4 FEs), which is a little odd seeing he’s aced 10 times
Being aced more than having return errors speaks to his movement not being great. Its not due to taking returns early. Rube returns from customary 3-4 paces behind baseline
Pop leads freebies 30% to 19%, has 6 return winners to Rube's 0, has 2 fewer double faults (Rube also has 2 second serve aces - good serves, to an early position Pop looking for an attacking return) before rallies get under way
Winners - Pop 15, Rube 12 (sans the 6 return winners)
Errors - both 27 (Pop 19 UEs, 8 FEs, Rube 21 UEs, 6 FEs)
Close contest, with Pop scoring small few winners only real difference
Pop plays a steady BH/seeking attack FH game. Rube’s a little more adventurous off the BH, and has better of stock hitting, particularly off the BH
On the BH in baseline rallies -
- winners - Rube 2 (Pop has none outside his 3 returns)
- UEs - Pop 7, Rube 5
Just solid play here off keeping ball in court without giving up weak ball. Rube with better of it - both keeping ball in play and being a little more pressuring (that is, hitting harder)
Majority of action takes place on FH. Both players prefer it and try to get on front foot at least or genuinely attack off that side. Also, Pop dictating with both serve and return lends itself to his implementing more FH play as he’s more particular in preferring FH play
Popyrin was unseeded and this was his first Masters final. Rublev had won Madrid earlier in the year
Popyrin won 72 points, Rublev 54
Serve Stats
Popyrin...
- 1st serve percentage (38/64) 59%
- 1st serve points won (32/38) 84%
- 2nd serve points won (9/26) 35%
- Aces 10, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/64) 30%
Rublev...
- 1st serve percentage (27/62) 44%
- 1st serve points won (17/27) 63%
- 2nd serve points won (14/35) 40%
- Aces 4 (2 second serves)
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (12/62) 19%
Serve Patterns
Popyrin served...
- to FH 46%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 10%
Rublev served...
- to FH 28%
- to BH 67%
- to Body 5%
Return Stats
Popyrin made...
- 45 (17 FH, 28 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 6 Winners (3 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 8 Errors, all unforced...
- 8 Unforced (4 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (45/57) 79%
Rublev made...
- 42 (22 FH, 20 BH), including 2 runaround FH
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (42/61) 69%
Break Points
Popyrin 4/9 (6 games)
Rublev 1/6 (3 games)
Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Popyrin 21 (14 FH, 3 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV)
Rublev 12 (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Popyrin's FHs - 5 cc (2 returns - 1 a runaround, 1 pass), 2 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 2 inside-out (1 at net), 4 inside-in (1 return, 1 at net)
- BH returns - 1 cc, 1 inside-out, 1 down-the-middle/inside-out
Rublev's FHs - 2 cc (1 pass at net), 2 inside-out, 1 longline, 1 drop shot
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl
- the FHV was a swinging inside-out
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Popyrin 27
- 19 Unforced (12 FH, 7 BH)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.3
Rublev 27
- 21 Unforced (15 FH, 5 BH, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (4 FH, 2 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.0
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Popyrin was 7/10 (70%) at net, with...
- 0/1 return-approaching
Rublev was 6/10 (60%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back
Match Report
Accurate serving, aggressive returning and some nice FH shot-making stamp a fluent showing from Popyrin. Rublev has his moments with hard-hitting FH play, but doesn’t serves well and is a little slow at times. Court is normal
Match is a little tougher than it looks
2 & 4 sound routine enough
Break points of Pop 4/9 (6 games), Rublev 1/6 (3 games) the same
It’s a little closer than the above would suggest, because Pop has to endure not-easy holds throughout match
6/9 Pop service games go to deuce, 3 of which he doesn’t face break points in
By contrast, 3/9 of Rublev’s do, but all 4 breaks are in games shorter than that
Call the result comfy enough, but not quite routine or easy than. Pop has better of serve-return contest and court action
Pop has good serve, Rube average at best
Pop returns with rare aggression, Rube normally
Pop leading in count 59% to 44% would be sizable advantage even with equal calibre serves. For the stronger quality server to lead to thus makes it doubly so
Aces/service winners - Pop 11, Rube 4
First serve ace/SW rate - Pop 29%, Rube 7%
Wouldn’t think Pop’s a 30% ace rate server. That high a yield is due to pinpoint precision rather than raw power, with a hand from Rube not being quickest of reactors. Some lovely, less-than-full-pace serves that are angled out right to the line to score that large lot of aces. Rube’s first serve tend to be readily coverable by contrast to the extent that all 8 return errors he’s drawn have been marked UEs
Return winners - Pop 6, Rube 0
How often do you see 6 return winners (2 against first serves, 4 against seconds) in a short 2 set match? Speaking both to Pop looking for and successfully being aggressive with the second shot, (which has a hand in all 8 of his return errors being UEs) and Rube’s serve being ordinary
By contrast, Rube returns normally (leaving Pop in position to command third ball or at most, have iniative to start rally). He also has 8 return errors (4 UEs, 4 FEs), which is a little odd seeing he’s aced 10 times
Being aced more than having return errors speaks to his movement not being great. Its not due to taking returns early. Rube returns from customary 3-4 paces behind baseline
Pop leads freebies 30% to 19%, has 6 return winners to Rube's 0, has 2 fewer double faults (Rube also has 2 second serve aces - good serves, to an early position Pop looking for an attacking return) before rallies get under way
Winners - Pop 15, Rube 12 (sans the 6 return winners)
Errors - both 27 (Pop 19 UEs, 8 FEs, Rube 21 UEs, 6 FEs)
Close contest, with Pop scoring small few winners only real difference
Pop plays a steady BH/seeking attack FH game. Rube’s a little more adventurous off the BH, and has better of stock hitting, particularly off the BH
On the BH in baseline rallies -
- winners - Rube 2 (Pop has none outside his 3 returns)
- UEs - Pop 7, Rube 5
Just solid play here off keeping ball in court without giving up weak ball. Rube with better of it - both keeping ball in play and being a little more pressuring (that is, hitting harder)
Majority of action takes place on FH. Both players prefer it and try to get on front foot at least or genuinely attack off that side. Also, Pop dictating with both serve and return lends itself to his implementing more FH play as he’s more particular in preferring FH play