Australian tennis player Alexei Popyrin has credited music sensation Ed Sheeran and a new reading habit with helping him avoid burnout on the professional tour. The world number 37, who is preparing for his first-round match against Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori at the US Open on August 26, revealed that listening to Sheeran's music and reading one novel a week have become key parts of his off-court routine.
Popyrin, 26, realised he needed a different approach following his shock defeat to world number 461 Arthur Fery in the first round of Wimbledon. 'I was numb, I didn't feel sad. I didn't feel happy,' he told ABC Sport. 'I just felt kind of like yeah, this is what happens (defeat). I've never had that feeling before in my career. Burnout is a big thing on the tour, so we [Popyrin's team] had to rectify it. And we did.'
A recent holiday to Bermuda with his fiancée Amy helped Popyrin rediscover his love of books. His favourite genres are science fiction and fantasy, but he also read George Orwell's classic 1984. The tennis star also attended one of Ed Sheeran's recent concerts in England, with his favourite song being 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You'.
If Popyrin outclasses Ruusuvuori as widely expected, he could face world number one Jannik Sinner in the second round at Flushing Meadows. Popyrin, who beat Novak Djokovic in the third round at the US Open last year, is convinced he is now a better player. Elsewhere, fellow Australian and eighth seed Alex de Minaur will face compatriot Chris O'Connell in New York, with de Minaur acknowledging that O'Connell is 'a very tricky opponent'.
