The second-seeded Djokovic was attempting to make tennis history by being the first player to win 25 Grand Slam singles titles.Rather, for the first time since 2017, he ends a year without winning at least one major championship following knee surgery in June. It hadn’t occurred since 2010 before then.
Now, 2024 marks the first men’s tennis season since 2002 in which none of the Big Three-Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal-have won a Slam championship.
Djokovic’s third-round elimination matches his lowest performance at Flushing Meadows; the only previous US Opens he lost that early were in 2005 and 2006.
Lleyton Hewitt, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame who defeated Djokovic eighteen years ago, was seated in Popyrin’s guest box at Arthur Ashe Stadium and is currently captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team.
The 37-year-old Djokovic has advanced to ten US Open finals and won the championship in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023.
Djokovic, who became the first male player to record 90 wins at all four majors, was up against the in-form Alexei Popyrin in the third round.
Before this match, Djokovic led the lanky Aussie, 12 years his junior and ranked some 26 slots below him, 3-0 in head-to-head clashes. Djokovic won their two meetings this year, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, both times in four sets.
The 25-year-old, nicknamed Pop, has made some rapid strides since then. Popyrin moved from the periphery to a challenger in majors when he claimed the Montreal Masters 1000 crown earlier in August. On Wednesday he defeated Spain’s Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to make the third round.
Known for his powerful serve and aggressive playing style, Alexei Popyrin was born in Sydney, Australia and has both Russian and Australian heritage. Popyrin began his professional career in 2017 and quickly made a name for himself on the ATP Tour.
Popyrin won his first ATP title in 2021 at the Singapore Open, which marked a significant milestone in his career. He has been steadily climbing the ATP rankings, showcasing his potential to become a top player. Popyrin has also had some success in Grand Slam tournaments, with his best result being a fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open in 2019.
His game is built around a strong serve and powerful groundstrokes, making him a formidable opponent on hard courts. Popyrin is considered one of the rising stars of Australian tennis, and many believe he has the potential to break into the top echelons of the sport in the coming years.
Popyrin will now attempt to advance to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Frances Tiafoe, ranked No. 20, who defeated No. 13 Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 on Friday.