What could bring greater joy to a tennis player than winning titles and climbing the ranks? However, for Alexei Popyrin, there’s a more significant victory he recently celebrated: his engagement to long-time girlfriend and physiotherapist, Amy Pederick. Announced in December, this news delighted fans and the tennis community alike. As he prepares for the 2025 season, Popyrin is not only focused on his athletic goals but also filled with joy about this new personal milestone in his life.

Ranked No. 25, Popyrin is gearing up for the Australian Open, which kicks off on Sunday. He recently participated in an exhibition match against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Rod Laver Arena. Although Sinner emerged victorious with a score of 6-4, 7-6, Popyrin remained upbeat, buoyed by his recent personal achievements.

In a post-match interview, Alexei Popyrin was asked about his recent engagement to Amy Pederick, with reporters keen to learn more about the proposal. They wondered if he received a “quick ‘yes’” from his girlfriend. With a smile, he shared, “Yeah, it was a quick ‘yes’; she didn’t even let me finish my speech. I had a whole speech planned out and she quickly said yes before I could say anything else.”

Reminiscing about their short off-season, which began following his early exit at the Paris Masters by the end of October 2024, Popyrin added “We went on holidays. We have like a very short off-season. We had 4-5 days off—there she is, yeah. And then we went to Mauritius on holidays, and I thought I’d planned it out. I knew I’d pop the question there, so luckily she said ‘yes.’”

Popyrin shared the romantic details of his beachside proposal on Instagram, where he presented Pederick with a dazzling diamond ring. Their joyous moment was captured in photos that showcased their happiness. His caption, “Forever with you 🤍💍,” resonated with fans and reflected their love story, which began in 2019.

When asked if this engagement topped his recent achievements, including winning the Canadian Open against Andrey Rublev in August 2024, Popyrin confidently stated, “It is definitely over Montreal, over US Open over anything to be honest. I think that will top anything I’ll ever do in my career.” Such sentiment is undeniably romantic.

But as love fills the air for this Aussie star, he faces formidable challenges ahead in the Australian Open. He will compete against top players like Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner, who will defend his title in Melbourne, starting Sunday.

It’s, however, not just Alcaraz and Sinner, but there ie another Italian player who poses a significant threat to the local Australian players in the upcoming Melbourne Major.

Matteo Arnaldi challenges the home players at the Australian Open

On December 19, during an episode of The AO Show, fellow player Matteo Arnaldi humorously dubbed himself an “honorary Australian” after purchasing a home in Melbourne with his girlfriend, Mia Savio. During the episode, Arnaldi discussed the main draw, which features tennis stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Despite an early exit from this year’s tournament, he expressed his readiness for the challenges ahead.

When asked what Aussie players can expect from him on the court, Arnaldi confidently stated, “A lot. It can happen a lot. It can happen for sure they’re gonna see a fight, that’s for sure.” He added, “They gonna see me running around the court, sliding. That’s what I do,” indicating his commitment to giving it his all on the court. He also mentioned that if fans enjoy it, they’ll see him “trying to push sometimes and go to the net,” reminiscent of the classic Australian style of play.

The ATP and WTA rankings released on Monday confirmed that Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, and Jordan Thompson won’t be facing top opponents until at least the third round of the Australian Open. As excitement builds for the tournament, Popyrin has set his sights on being more aggressive on the court, will he exceed expectations this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!