Fortunately, there were the Olympic Games. Novak Djokovic, defending champion and favorite of the US Open, was eliminated on Friday, August 30, as early as the 3e tour by Australian Alexei Popyrin, ending the calendar year without a Grand Slam title, a first since 2017. But for the Serb, 2024 will nevertheless remain a special year with the Olympic gold won with great emotion in Paris, the last trophy missing from his list of achievements.
The surprise remains nevertheless a big one for the world number 2, the day after the elimination of the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (3e) by the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in three straight sets.
Popyrin, 25, achieved the feat in four sets (6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4) against the 37-year-old Serbian player, who was looking for a 25e major title − absolute record.
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“One of the worst levels of tennis of my life”
The Australian, beaten at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year by Djokovic, confirms that he is in great shape: he won the Masters 1000 in Montreal (Canada) in mid-August. On Friday, he took full advantage of the atmosphere of the night session in the oversized arena of the Arthur-Ashe court to win a fourth set of great class, while Djokovic seemed to regain the upper hand.
The sublime fifth game ended with a long cry from Popyrin, released as the ball was just leaving his racket on a winning forehand from the gut, for a break that launched him towards the feat.
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“Congratulations to him and his team, he deserves his victory, he was very goodDjokovic commented. For my part, given the way I’ve been playing since the start of the tournament, a third round is already good. I displayed one of the worst levels of tennis of my life, with my worst level on the long serve.”
“It’s unbelievable, I’ve been to the second round tons of times, and to finally be able to get through that round against the greatest player of all time is an unbelievable feeling.”Alexei Popyrin got excited on the court.
Evidence of the great performance achieved by the 28e world player: Novak Djokovic had not been eliminated so early in New York since 2006 – a defeat against another Australian Lleyton Hewitt, present in the stands on Friday – nor since the beginning of 2017 in a Grand Slam tournament.
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