Novak Djokovic surprisingly eliminated from US Open in third round of men’s singles. The Serbian, world number 2 and defending champion, is defeated by the Australian Alexei Popyrin, seeded number 28, who wins 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in 3h19′. In the round of 16 he will face the American Frances Tiafoe who wins the American derby with Ben Shelton in 5 sets. The number 20 seed beats the number 13 of the draw 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3.
Djokovic, winner in 4 editions at Flushing Meadows, exits the scene – like the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz – and fails to attack the 25th Slam of his career. Popyrin, with his first victory in 4 direct confrontations with the 37-year-old from Belgrade, creates the biggest surprise of the tournament and erases the main candidate for the final from the bottom of the draw: on the other side of the main draw, Jannik Sinner smiles, seeing his most fearsome rival disappear.
The match
Popyrin plays the first set with aggression and tries to keep control of the gameHe makes a lot of mistakes (10 unforced errors) but keeps the initiative (10/13 points won at the net) and is very good at taking advantage of Djokovic’s empty passage: the Serbian, who does not take advantage of any of the 5 break points available, gets stuck in the ninth game, gives up his serve to love and sees the first set evaporate.
Popyrin maintains a high level of play and becomes even more solid on serve in the second set: Djokovic does not create a single break point and has no chance of recovery when he loses his serve, slipping down 2-4. The 28th seed closes the partial 6-4 and extends.
Djokovic, like a diesel, finally seems to be getting going. The third set offers a different script, with the Serb capable of breaking through and running away to 3-0 with the first break of his day. The 37-year-old’s serve, however, is attackable and Popyrin closes the gap (2-3) before going haywire. Leading 40-15 in the sixth game, the Australian stumbles into 4 errors in a row – including a fatal double fault – which effectively close the set: Djokovic extends (4-2) and closes with another break for 6-2.
The Australian stays afloat in the complicated start of the fourth set, immediately cancelling 2 break points, and returns to the levels of the beginning of the match. In the fifth game, Popyrin scores with a precious break (3-2) and in the next game he comes back from 15-40, cancelling the two chances created by Djokovic for an immediate response. Nole feels the blow, crumbles and suffers another break (2-5) that resembles a sentence. The former world number 1 has a jolt, breaks his rival’s serve and reduces the gap. Popyrin has a second chance and takes advantage of it: he closes 6-4, the king is defeated.
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