Alexei Popyrin beats Andrey Rublev in straight sets to win National Bank Open men’s singles title

MONTREAL (AP) — Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, the No. 62-ranked player in the world, defeated fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev of Russia 6-2, 6-4 at the National Bank Open on Monday night to win the biggest singles title of his career.

Popyrin had two lower-level ATP Tour titles on his resume coming into a week in which he faced five top-20 players in a row — and defeated all of them.

First came No. 11 seed Ben Shelton in the second round, then No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov, a contest in which he saved three match points. In the quarterfinals came No. 4 seed Hubert Hurkacz, who was up a set and a break in the second before Popyrin came back to win 7-5 in the third set.

Then American Sebastian Korda, who won the tournament in Washington, D.C., last week and was on a nine-match winning streak, in the semifinals late Sunday night.

And finally Rublev, who was looking for his third career ATP Masters 1000 title, his first on hard courts. But he had no answers against a player with whom he often trains at their mutual home base in Monte Carlo.

“I played a really, really high level of tennis, which I believed that I could play my whole life. But to put it into five matches in a row against — I mean, six matches in a row against really high quality opponents is something else,” Popyrin said.

Once it was over, Popyrin put his hands to his face and let the tears flow.

Popyrin won the first seven points of the match and from there, the hill was just too steep to climb for Rublev, who moves from No. 8 to No. 6 in the rankings with a week that included a win over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Popyrin will rise in the rankings from No. 62 to No. 23.

“I wanted to put a statement in the first game, and I think I did that, which I think rattled him a little bit, which was part of the game plan. I just continued from there,” Popyrin said.

As with Rublev, whose on-court emotions have often held back his career progress, Popyrin had been known more for his temper on the court than his game.

On Monday night, he was cool, calm and collected.

Rublev wasn’t as serene. But he’s happy with his progress on that front.

“Even today, because if we go back even one month ago — or even compare my match against (Popyrin) at Monte Carlo (in April) when I was losing, I was behaving 10 times (worse) — and it was the first round,” he said.

“Here, it was a final. Much more pressure. Yes, I still showed a bit emotions today, but compared to the matches when I was losing the same way, I think I did much better job. That’s why I had a little chance in the second set, but it was just not my time, I guess.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Alexei Popyrin, center bottom, of Australia, holds the winner's trophy as he poses with ball boys and girls after defeating Andrey Rublev, of Russia, in the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, holds up the winner's trophy after defeating Andrey Rublev, of Russia, in the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, reacts after a shot to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, plays a shot to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, serves to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, plays a shot to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, reacts following a shot to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, plays a shot to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, plays a shot to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Andrey Rublev, of Russia, reacts after a shot to Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, reacts after defeating Andrey Rublev, of Russia, in the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, reacts following a shot to Andrey Rublev, of Russia, during the final of the National Bank Open men's tennis tournament in Montreal, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York woman is challenging the longstanding rules of Miss America and Miss World that disqualify mothers from their beauty pageants.

Danielle Hazel said Monday that she’s always dreamed of entering the competitions but was devastated to learn that she’s no longer eligible because she had a son when she was just 19 years old.

“When I told Zion, who is now 6 years old, about these rules he had an immediate gut reaction: he said that these rules are stupid,” she said, speaking at the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in New York’s Central Park. “His sense of fairness at only 6 years old tells him that this is unjust and makes no sense.”

Hazel’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, said a complaint sent Monday to the city’s Commission on Human Rights seeks an end to the requirements because they deny and exclude mothers from an “important business and cultural opportunity” simply because of their status as parents.

“As we stated in Danielle‘s filed complaint, this exclusion is degrading to Danielle as it is based upon the antiquated stereotype that women cannot be both a mother and be beautiful, poised, passionate, talented and philanthropic,” Allred said.

Spokespersons for the Miss America and Miss World pageant organizations didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday. A spokesperson for the human rights commission said the agency does not comment on open investigations.

Allred noted that she previously had success challenging a similar rule for a California mother denied eligibility to compete in the Miss California pageant, which is part of the Miss Universe and Miss USA organizations.

The discrimination complaint filed by Andrea Quiroga with the California Civil Rights Department prompted Miss Universe to eliminate its 70-year-old rule, which was imposed worldwide through its affiliated organizations, Allred said.

“Being pregnant or being a parent is not a crime and should not exclude an individual from employment or business opportunities,” Allred said. “An individual’s status as a parent should not carry a stigma and no person should have to feel embarrassed, humiliated, or degraded because they have become a parent.”

The two women were joined Monday by Veronika Didusenko, who was crowned Miss Ukraine 2018 only to have the title stripped when the Miss World organization learned that she had a child.

Didusenko, who has since created an organization advocating for an end to beauty pageant bans on mothers, said she lost her legal challenge in Ukraine but is seeking relief from the European Court of Human Rights.

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.

Danielle Hazel, left, speaks during a news conference accompanied by her attorney Gloria Allred, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)

Flanked by Veronika Didusenko, left, and Danielle Hazel, right, attorney Gloria Allred, center, speaks during a news conference Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Joe Frederick)