Alexei Popyrin vs Yibing Wu Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Popyrin vulnerable in Washington opener

Popyrin has struggled all season and hasn't been able to build on his surprise Masters 1000 triumph in Canada last year. The Aussie had a great chance to work his way towards the top 10, but he's stagnated in the 20s and is now in very real danger of dropping out of the top 50 when those 1000 points come of his ranking next week. With this in mind, Popyrin is under immense pressure this North American hardcourt summer and I'm not sure he's ready for a deep run anywhere on current form.

For me, this match actually all depends on the fitness of Wu - the Chinese player shot to fame when he won his maiden ATP title in Dallas in 2023, but constant injuries have halted his progress. Wu has won 15 of his last 17 matches at all levels coming into this clash and has match practice under his belt in Washington after qualifying for the main draw and winning his first round. If Wu is fit, I think he is a great chance for the upset in the American capital.

This will be the first tour-level meeting between the pair. Popyrin prevailed in three sets in Adelaide qualifying back in 2023.

It's been a difficult season for Popyrin, who comes into this contest with a negative 12-15 record on the year and set to drop outside of the top 50 if he doesn't have a big result this week in Washington or go deep again at the Canada Masters.

In fact, six of Popyrin's 12 wins for the season came at two tournaments during the clay swing, with the Aussie making the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals and the fourth round of Roland Garros.

Those three events (throwing in last year's Toronto Masters title) have kept Popyrin's ranking inside the top 30, but in reality, he has been playing like a 60-100 player for most of the last 12 months.

Of course, Popyrin is capable of catching fire at any given moment, but it was a tough grass swing, with the 25-year-old losing in the opening round of Wimbledon to wildcard Arthur Fery.

Popyrin has also never won a completed match in Washington, going 0-3 throughout his career.

Wu registered his first tour-level win of 2025 in his Washington first round, crushing Gael Monfils 6-3 6-1, so he should take a lot of confidence from that.

The 25-year-old became the first Chinese player to win an ATP title when he triumphed in Dallas in 2023, rising to a career-high ranking of No. 54 as a result.

However, Wu has been struck down by injuries for the better part of the last two years, causing his ranking to drop outside the top 200.

Wu's comebacks are usually short-lived, but he's built up a solid run of form over the last couple of months, winning 15 of his last 17 matches at all levels - including two solid wins over Mitchell Krueger and Corentin Moutet in Washington qualifying before he took out Monfils in the main draw.