'THIS MEANS THE WORLD' TO POPYRIN

First Aussie winner of a Masters event since 2003 profits from Rublev’s fragile mentality

Alexei Popyrin profited from the mental fragility of Andrey Rublev on Aug 12, as the Australian won the biggest title of his career at the ATP Montreal Masters.

The world No. 62 beat the sixthranked Rublev 6-2, 6-4 in 90 minutes in the US Open tune-up event, denying the Russian a second Masters crown this season after winning at Madrid.

"One of the best matches I've played in my life," Popyrin said of the victory. "But it's not the way I played in that final that makes me most proud. It's more the way I played all week." The 25-year-old is the first Australian to win a Masters 1000 title since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 at Indian Wells.

The only other Aussie to reach a Canadian final was Patrick Rafter in 2001, who lost to Romanian Andrei Pavel.

Popyrin is also the fourth Australian to win at this level, following Rafter (1998 Toronto, 1998 Cincinnati), Mark Philippoussis (1999 Indian Wells) and Hewitt (20022003 Indian Wells).