By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, August 31, 2024
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty
NEW YORK—The service box looked as large as a shoe box.
Novak Djokovic struggled to find the right fit.
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Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin dethroned defending champion Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in a stunning US Open upset to advance to his first Grand Slam fourth round.
It’s the earliest exit for a US Open defending men’s champion since 2000 and the first time Djokovic failed to survive the US Open third round since 2006.
Lleyton Hewitt knocked the young Djokovic out of that 2006 US Open. Australian Davis Cup captain Hewitt was in Popyrin’s support box tonight alongside the Aussie’s coach, Xavier Malisse, who split two career meetings with the Serbian superstar.
Afterward, Djokovic said double trouble caused his demise:
1. Popyrin was simply too good from start to finish.
2. Djokovic sabotaged his cause with the "worst serving" performance of his major career.
Djokovic dumped 14 double faults against 16 aces and at times looked like he had no feel for the serve.
"Congratulations to him and his team. He definitely played better and deserved to win today," Djokovic said. "I mean, on my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success.
"I mean, I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever. So, yeah, if you play on a quick surface like this without, you know, the serve, without ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can't win.
"You can't win, especially against the guys who are in form like Alexei who is serving big, puts a lot of pressure on your service game. Yeah, it was just an awful match for me."
The four-time US Open champion scored what he called "arguably the biggest success I've ever had" when he out-dueled Carlos Alcaraz in the Olympic final to capture the gold medal for Serbia in his fifth Olympic Games last month.
Receiving a hero's welcome from thousands of fans in Belgrade after bringing gold back home, Djokovic skipped Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati to rest and recover from his passionate Paris performance.
Tonight, Djokovic felt disconnected from his shots and his game.
"I tried so many things, and sometimes that's an issue, you know, is that you move away from the basics that work," Djokovic said. "Then you just lose the basics. You lose the foundation. You lose the movement, the timing, the rhythm, the tempo, everything, whether it's a serve or any other shot.
"It was just really a big struggle mentally for me to play these three matches here, because I wasn't playing even close to my best. So, you know, it's not good to be in that kind of state where you feel okay physically, and of course you're motivated because it's a Grand Slam, but you just are not able to find your game. That's it.
"The game is falling apart, and I guess you have to accept that tournaments like this happen. Yeah, you could argue that it's because of the Olympics, but I don't know. I don't want to analyze that right now."
Montreal champion Popyrin, who lost tight four-setters to Djokovic at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, played declarative first serve-first strike tennis and frequently punished the champion with his forehand.
"Third time lucky I guess," Popyrin said. "We had some battles at Australian Open at 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 play some good tennis."
It was a match of the best of times and worst of times simultaneously.
Popyrin played some of his best tennis, Djokovic produced his worst serving performance and said he never felt quite right in Flushing Meadows following his emotional Olympic gold-medal triumph in Paris last month.
"Just from the very beginning, from the first match, I just didn't find myself at all on this court," Djokovic said. "It's all I can say, you know. You know, life moves on. I mean, yeah, just try and recalibrate and look for what's next."
Popyrin pulled off a historic upset. Djokovic’s defeat means this is the first time since 2002 a Big 3 champion—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer—did not win a Grand Slam title.
This upset comes a night after Botic van de Zandschulp shocked reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz in a stunning Thursday night upset.
It presents a massive opportunity for both Popyrin and his fourth-round opponent, former US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe. If you're Popyrin you have to feel if you can beat the Grand Slam king, then you get beat anyone.
"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," Popyrin 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."
Asked to assess Popyrin's potential, Djokovic said while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is clear US Open favorite, anyone can take the title.
"I mean, look, he's just beaten me, the defending champion here, so, I mean, he deserves credit for that and respect," Djokovic said. "If he serves well, plays well, he can beat anybody. Look, Alcaraz is out, I'm out, you know, some big upsets. The draw is opening up.
"Obviously Sinner is the main favorite, but then, you know, Tiafoe is there as well as American favorite Fritz. Zverev, you have great guys playing well, and Rublev, Dimitrov in this part of the draw. Anybody can take it. It's going to be interesting to see who takes the title."