US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic falls to Alexei Popyrin in latest Flushing Meadows shocker

Aug. 31, 2024, 7:13 a.m.

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Novak Djokovic’s latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title crashed to a halt on Friday as 28th-ranked Alexei Popyrin knocked the defending champion out of the US Open third round.

Following the shocking defeat of third seed Carlos Alcaraz to the 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp the previous day, 25-year-old Popyrin pulled off another major upset, defeating Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Popyrin handed Djokovic his earliest US Open exit in 18 years and his earliest Grand Slam exit since he fell in the second round of the Australian Open in 2017 – which was also the last year the Serbian great failed to claim a single Grand Slam title.

Advertisement Alexei Popyrin just secured the biggest victory of his career! pic.twitter.com/iYcCxnWmfX

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2024 Although he won the Olympic gold he had long coveted at the Paris Games, an uneven season that included knee surgery saw Djokovic come up empty in the majors.

Djokovic had previously defeated Popyrin in three matches, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

However, a career-high 14 double faults, along with a total of 49 unforced errors, proved too much for Djokovic to overcome.

“It was just an awful match for me,” Djokovic said. “I mean, I tried so many things, and sometimes that’s an issue … you move away from the basics that work. You lose the foundation. You lose the movement, the timing, the rhythm, the tempo, everything, whether it’s a serve or any other shot.”

Popyrin, fresh off his triumphant victory at the Montreal Masters, a major career milestone, saved an impressive five break points during the sixth game. His fearless approach allowed him to take control and clinch the first two sets.

Advertisement Djokovic gave himself some breathing room with an early break in the third. Popyrin clawed back only for Djokovic to break him twice more, the Serbian taking full advantage of Popyrin’s mounting errors.

However, the Australian player, Popyrin, displayed resilience in the tense fourth set, saving crucial break points in the second game before breaking Djokovic's serve to take a 3-2 lead.

Popyrin remained patient as Djokovic fought back, saving three break points. When Djokovic committed a double fault, Popyrin seized the opportunity, converting it with a powerful forehand winner and letting out a loud celebratory roar.

Djokovic committed four double faults, resulting in the loss of his serve and a 5-2 deficit. He managed to win the next two games, but Popyrin ultimately closed out the match with a dominant love game.

Advertisement “I was waiting for him to kind of step up,” Popyrin said.

“I didn’t want to be one of those moments where Novak kind of stepped up and came back from two sets to love down. It was kind of extra motivation for me not to do that and to win that fourth set.”

Popyrin will now face Frances Tiafoe, who triumphed over fellow American Ben Shelton in a thrilling afternoon match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-3.

Tiafoe gained revenge for his quarter-final loss to Shelton in New York last year. He withstood 23 aces, showcasing an impressive return game that earned him 21 break points, converting five of them.

Advertisement Gauff rallies

Coco Gauff joins the elite group of six American women in the Open Era to reach 60 major match wins before turning 21 years old 🙌 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/7vDYpPbZHd

— ESPN (@espn) August 30, 2024 Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff survived late-match drama in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Elina Svitolina.

Advertisement Gauff’s third-set surge had carried her to triple match point at 5-2, but she delivered a pair of double faults and Svitolina saved another with a blazing backhand on the way to a break.

However, Gauff broke Svitolina's serve to love in the following game, securing the win.

Gauff next faces fellow American Emma Navarro, who upset her in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Navarro beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Late show

Sabalenka d. Alexandrova 2-6 6-1 6-2

The match commenced at 12:08 a.m. and will be etched in history as the latest ever start time for a match at the US Open.

It finished close to 2 a.m.

Amazing professionalism under ridiculous circumstances

✅8 consecutive win

Give it up for Aryna. 🐅 pic.twitter.com/eySajnhQzd

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 31, 2024 All the drama on Ashe Stadium meant second-seeded Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka didn’t get underway on the cavernous court that seats nearly 24,000 until eight minutes past midnight – the latest start to a match in US Open history by eight minutes.

Taking it all in stride, Sabalenka overcame a slow start and secured a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova at 1:48am.

Men’s fourth seed Alexander Zverev started earlier but labored later on Louis Armstrong Stadium, where he beat Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 in a match that ended at 2:35am – the second latest US Open finish ever.

World number six Andrey Rublev of Russia overcame Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, while eighth-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud mounted a comeback from two sets down to defeat 19-year-old Shang Juncheng of China 6-7 (1/7), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1.

Seventh-seeded Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen of China, who rallied from a set down in each of her first two matches, dispatched Germany’s Jule Niemeier 6-2, 6-1.

Zheng's next opponent is Croatian Donna Vekic, a rematch of their gold medal encounter at the Paris Olympics.