Alexei Popyrin stuns Novak Djokovic on the US Open to safe the largest win of his profession to date, and a maiden fourth-round look at a Grand Slam.
New York, USA, 31 August 2024 | Vivienne Christie @usopen with a 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4 victory within the third spherical.#GoAussies pic.twitter.com/hBPKOJJYnT
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) August 31, 2024
Popyrin turned the primary Australian participant to get rid of Djokovic at a Grand Slam since Hewitt had carried out so within the third spherical of US Open 2006. He was additionally the primary participant to defeat the prolific Serbian earlier than the fourth spherical at Flushing Meadows since Hewitt’s victory 18 years earlier than.
“To be talked about in the identical title as Lleyton, certainly one of our greats, is all the time unbelievable,” stated Popyrin.
“Hopefully I can proceed that development and do some extra issues that Lleyton has carried out prior to now.”
Seeded at a Grand Slam for the primary time by advantage of the career-high No.23 rating that accompanied his Montreal breakthrough, the 28th-seeded Popyrin was authoritative from the outset as he managed each early problem from the skilled Serb.
The most important message was arguably greatest delivered as Popyrin navigated 5 break factors – from 0-40 down – with highly effective serving and composure in rallies within the sixth sport of the opening set. Showcasing some deft web play that had the New York crowd enraptured, the 28th-seeded Australian stepped it by securing a break in opposition to Djokovic within the ninth sport.
Popyrin’s one-two punch strategy was working beautifully as he mixed his highly effective serve along with his potent forehand to calmly serve out the set.
With confidence steadily rising, the 25-year-old quickly prolonged his benefit with an early break of serve within the second set and helped by some dazzling passing pictures, maintained momentum to carry a 6-4 6-4 lead.
Aiming to turn out to be the primary participant in historical past to assert 25 Grand Slam titles – and certainly one of solely 4 males (alongside Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer) within the Open period to carry 5 US Open trophies – Djokovic inevitably summoned some preventing spirit.
A yr earlier, the then-36-year-old had underlined his place in tennis historical past when he turned the oldest US Open males’s champion within the fashionable period and with Popyrin’s degree dipping ever so barely, Djokovic created the sense of a comeback as he claimed the third set in 43 minutes.
“I used to be ready for him to form of step up. I felt like he did within the third set. However my degree went down. I didn’t make too many first serves,” Popyrin admitted.
However in new territory with a two-sets-to-one lead over the defending champion, the Australian refused to panic. He gained 4 straight video games to take a 5-2 lead and whereas he couldn’t serve out the victory the primary time round, he didn’t hesitate on the subsequent alternative.
In probably the most memorable night time of his profession to date, Popyrin was good on function he accomplished his career-best win with one final successful rally.
The most important win of his profession 👏
Take a bow, @AlexeiPopyrin99!@usopen | #USOpenpic.twitter.com/JpipkKhScE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 31, 2024
“There (are) numerous occasions when he’s come again from two units to like down, and I didn’t wish to be a type of moments the place Novak form of stepped up and got here again from two units to like down. That was going by my head,” he associated.
“It was form of additional motivation for me not to try this and to win that fourth set. Type of needed to pump myself up, swear at myself a number of occasions to form of, yeah, to form of get again into the temper of successful.
“I managed to try this, and that was wonderful.”
Popyrin completed the match with 15 aces amongst 50 whole winners, along with his 50 unforced errors an indication of Popyrin’s willpower to deliver his most aggressive tennis to the sport’s greatest phases.
He subsequent faces No.20 seed Frances Tiafoe – a five-set winner over fellow American Ben Shelton – with the proper mindset to construct on his career-best efficiency.
“It’s unbelievable as a result of I’ve been within the third spherical about 15 occasions in my profession however I haven’t been in a position to get previous to the fourth spherical,.” stated Popyrin, who had actually achieved that end in six of his 21 earlier Grand Slam campaigns.
“To have the ability to do it in opposition to the best of all time, to get into the fourth spherical, is unbelievable … it’s an ideal feeling.”
Aussies in motion – US Open
RESULTS
Males’s singles, third spherical
[28] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4
COMING UP
Males’s singles, third spherical
[10] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Dan Evans (GBR)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v [30] Matteo Arnaldi (ITA)
Chris O’Connell (AUS) d [1] Jannik Sinner (ITA)
Males’s singles, fourth spherical
[28] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [20] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
> VIEW: US Open 2024 males’s singles draw
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