A dramatic turn of events at the US Open: after Alcaraz’s early elimination, Novak Djokovic also exits the scene. The Serb was beaten in the third round by Australian Alexei Popyrin, number 28 in the ranking, with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The defeat of the 37-year-old Djokovic, four-time champion in New York, prevents him once again from reaching the coveted record of 25 Slams won, in a season that ends with no major tournaments in his bag, and the splendid consolation, however, of Olympic gold.
It was the first third-round exit at the US Open in 18 years for the defending champion Djokovic. He had beaten Popyrin in three previous meetings, including this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon, but 14 double faults (and 49 unforced errors in total) proved fatal for the Serbian champion. “It was a horrible match for me,” he admitted after the match, adding that he will now try to “recalibrate and move forward.” Popyrin, fresh from his biggest title of his career at the Montreal Masters, took the first two sets with a fearless display on serve and from the baseline. Djokovic gave himself some breathing room with an early break in the third. Popyrin recovered the break only to see Djokovic break it twice more, with the Serb taking full advantage of his opponent’s increasing errors.
But the Australian responded in a tense fourth set, saving break points in the second game before seizing them to take a 3-2 lead. He remained patient as Djokovic saved three break points and when the Serb double-faulted to gift him another, Popyrin capitalized with a forehand winner and roared. After saving a couple of break points in the next game, the Australian made more to take a 5-2 lead.
Djokovic won back-to-back games to close the gap, but Popyrin won the match with a love game as Djokovic hit another forehand long. “To be in the fourth round of a Slam beating the greatest of all time is incredible,” Popyrin said.