Defending U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic experienced a surprising early exit on Friday night, losing in the third round to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin. The match ended with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, marking a significant upset as Djokovic was aiming to secure his 25th Grand Slam singles title, a record in tennis history.
After undergoing knee surgery in June, Djokovic returned to the court with high expectations but failed to capture a Grand Slam title this year for the first time since 2017. The defeat also marks the first time since 2002 that none of tennis’s Big Three—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—have won a Grand Slam in a calendar year.
“From the first match, I just didn’t find myself at all on this court.”
Novak Djokovic won gold in 2024, but he also went Slam-less for the first time since 2017
How a revamped Alexei Popyrin stopped the Djokovic comeback train in its tracks Friday night https://t.co/JuBivY6lB6
— Steve Tignor (@SteveTignor) August 31, 2024
This loss is Djokovic’s earliest departure from the U.S. Open since 2006, and only his third third-round exit at the tournament, having also been eliminated at this stage in 2005 and 2006. Notably, the man who defeated him 18 years ago, Lleyton Hewitt, was present in Popyrin’s guest box, serving as Australia’s Davis Cup captain.
Djokovic, 37, has won the U.S. Open title four times and reached the final on ten occasions. However, on Friday, he struggled with his serve, committing 14 double faults, and appeared physically and mentally drained. This could be attributed to his recent victory at the Paris Games, where he won his first Olympic gold medal by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
Alcaraz, who was a favorite to win the U.S. Open after claiming titles at the French Open and Wimbledon, was also eliminated earlier in the tournament by Botic van de Zandschulp. Following Alcaraz’s exit, Djokovic became the new favorite to win according to betting odds, but his own journey was cut short by Popyrin.
For Popyrin, this victory marks a significant milestone. Previously 0-3 against Djokovic and without a third-round win in six attempts at major tournaments, the 25-year-old Australian showed remarkable skill and composure. Fresh off his first major title win at a hard-court tournament in Montreal, where he defeated five top-20 players, Popyrin carried his strong form into the match against Djokovic.
Popyrin’s aggressive style and precision at the net, where he won all 10 serve-and-volley points and 25 out of 36 net points, played a crucial role in his victory. He also broke Djokovic’s serve five times, including a decisive break to lead 3-2 in the fourth set after a grueling 22-shot rally.
Despite a late break by Djokovic when Popyrin first served for the match, the Australian closed out the victory on his second attempt, holding his serve to love as Djokovic’s forehand sailed long.
Novak Djokovic stunned in third round of the US Open by Alexei Popyrinhttps://t.co/gL3XiY4sOJ
— Kat Goddard 🎬🎥🖖🔭👽👻🇦🇺🇺🇦 (@KatGoddard1) August 31, 2024
Popyrin now advances to face No. 20 seed Frances Tiafoe, who overcame fellow American Ben Shelton in a five-set thriller. Popyrin will aim for his first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance in the upcoming match.
Key Points:
i. Novak Djokovic was upset by Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the U.S. Open.
ii. was aiming for his 25th Grand Slam title but lost 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
iii. This marks Djokovic’s earliest U.S. Open exit since 2006.
iv. Popyrin, previously 0-3 against Djokovic, achieved his biggest career win.
v. Popyrin will face Frances Tiafoe next, seeking his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
