Alexandre Muller defeated Alexei Popyrin in a grueling five-set first-round match at the Australian Open on January 19, 2026, ending the Australian's hopes in his home Grand Slam. Popyrin, who led at key moments, succumbed to a calf injury flare-up and unforced errors despite serving 40 aces. The Frenchman advanced to face Alexander Zverev next.
The match on John Cain Arena lasted three hours and 53 minutes, with Muller winning 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4). Popyrin, ranked 54th after dropping from a career-high of 19th, started strongly by dominating the first set with 10 aces and no double faults. He also took the third set but faltered in the fourth-set tiebreak, blowing a 5-2 lead, and was broken while serving for the match at 5-3 in the fifth set.
A persistent calf injury, which Popyrin has managed for months, flared up during the fourth set, prompting a medical timeout and contributing to cramping—his second year in a row on the court. Despite the pain and crowd support, he couldn't close out the victory, finishing with 62 unforced errors against Muller's resilient defense.
In an emotional post-match press conference, a tearful Popyrin reflected on his struggles. "For me, it's really tough to take," he said. "I just think I do a lot. I work a lot... To have results like this over the last couple of months is not easy to take... It can't keep going on like this."
This loss extended Popyrin's winless Australian summer, following first-round defeats to Quentin Halys in Brisbane and Reilly Opelka in Adelaide. His form has dipped since the 2025 US Open, compounded by injuries and a mental health break. He also opted out of Australia's Davis Cup tie against Ecuador in February due to unsuitable conditions for ranking points.
Muller, ranked 52nd, praised his mental fortitude. "Alexei was serving so good... I just tried to play my game and be focused," he told Jim Courier. Todd Woodbridge called it a "magnificent mental performance" by the Frenchman, who defied multiple setbacks to advance.
