“To be able to do it against the greatest of all time is unbelievable” : Alexei Popyrin expresses his shock over victory against Novak Djokovic
Over the past few days, we have seen some shock exits in the 2024 US Open, with the recent Olympic silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz going out. But he is not alone, as his partner in crime and gold medalist Novak Djokovic has also been shown the door. For the first time since 2017, the Serbian will end his year without a Grand Slam title, courtesy to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin. The world no. 28 shocked the tennis world at the Arthur Ashe stadium following his victory over the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
The 25-year-old beat the Serbian in four sets 6-4, 6-4, 2-6 and 6-4 again. It was a dominant display shown by the promising youngster which also blew off the Serbian’s golden moment of acquiring his record 25th Grand Slam title.
The Australian was going through a rough patch until last month, where he got into one of the best forms till date, and also secured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal. Meanwhile, eliminated in just the third round, this was the Serbian’s lowest finish at the Flushing Meadows after 18 long years.
“I was able to take my chances when I had them” : Alexei Popyrin explains his phenomenal win over the 37-year-old
Going into a match with your opponent being Novak Djokovic, it is highly likely that you are never going in as a favourite. But the 25-year-old defied the odds and showed out an impressive performance, having every answer to the Serbian’s offense. The Australian will now be heading into his very first fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament, and had a few words to say during the post-match interview.
“Third time lucky I guess. We had battles at Australian open and Wimbledon. I had chances in those matches but didn’t take them. This match was different. I was able to take my chances when I had them. I played some good tennis. It’s unbelievable. I’ve been in the third round about 15 times in my career But haven’t been able to get to the 4th round. To be able to do it against the greatest of all time is unbelievable. It’s a great feeling,” said the world no. 28 in his on-court interview.
As for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, he was disappointed but showed gratitude towards his fans for supporting him throughout the match. The Serbian also congratulated the 25-year-old on social media while also hinting that he might still be playing until next year’s US Open.
After doing the unthinkable, the road has not gotten easy for Popyrin, as he will be facing home favoured Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round. The American has been on a hot streak since the start of the year, and with the increased confidence of the Australian after beating Novak Djokovic, this could very well turn out to be one of the best matches of the tournament.
Also Read: US Open 2024: Botic van de Zandschulp vs Jack Draper Preview, Head-to-Head and Prediction
