Popyrin Shocks Djokovic at US Open, Ending Grand Slam Drought

Australian stuns defending champion in four sets, ending Djokovic's bid for a record-breaking title.

New York, August 31, 2024: Alexei Popyrin of Australia delivered a stunning upset on Friday night at the US Open, defeating defending champion Novak Djokovic in four sets, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The victory was powered by a remarkable 50 winners from Popyrin, who showcased his aggressive "Big-Man Tennis" style.

Djokovic's own performance was hampered by uncharacteristic errors, with a career-high 14 double faults in a Grand Slam match, including four that gave Popyrin a crucial double break at 5-2 in the fourth set. The Australian ultimately secured the victory, though he faced a brief scare when he was broken while serving for the match before closing it out two games later.

This was the second major upset in as many days on Arthur Ashe Stadium, following Botic van de Zandschulp's straight-sets victory over 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz in the second round.

"Third time lucky [this year] I guess," Popyrin remarked. "Honestly, we had some battles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. I had my chances in those matches, but didn't take them. This match was a little different. I was able to take my chances when I had them and played some good tennis."

Popyrin, who had never reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament, expressed his delight with the achievement. "It's unbelievable because I've been in the third round about 15 times in my career, but I haven't been able to get past to the fourth round," he said. "To be able to do it against the greatest of all time to get into the fourth round is unbelievable. It's a great feeling and the hard work has paid off."

When questioned about the potential impact of his focus on winning Olympic gold in Paris, Djokovic acknowledged the strain. "Obviously it has an effect. I spent a lot of energy winning the gold and I did arrive in New York not feeling fresh. I tried my best, I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas, and you could see that. From the first match I just didn't find myself on this court. Life moves on. I'll try to recalibrate and look forward to what's next."

Popyrin's triumph ended Djokovic's pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam men's singles title and 100th career title. Despite previously pushing Djokovic to four sets at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, Popyrin entered Friday's match with a 0-3 head-to-head record against the legend.

This has been a memorable August for the 25-year-old Australian, who also secured a surprise victory at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal earlier this month. That win propelled him to a career-high No. 23 in the ATP Rankings, achieved after defeating five top-20 players en route to the title.

Djokovic's defeat marked his earliest exit from a major since a second-round loss to Denis Istomin at the 2017 Australian Open. It was also his earliest departure from the US Open since a similar round exit to Lleyton Hewitt in 2006.

Popyrin will now face American No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in his first fourth-round appearance at the US Open. This will be the first meeting between the two players. Tiafoe overcame a gruelling five-set battle against fellow American and last year's semi-finalist, No. 13 Ben Shelton, earlier on Friday.

This is the first time since 2017 that Djokovic has finished a season without a Grand Slam title. Furthermore, this is the first time since 2002 that a season has concluded without a member of the "Big Three" – Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal – winning a major championship.