Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, one of many biggest to ever play the sport, was upset on the U.S. Open Friday evening. Djokovic fell within the third spherical with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Twenty eighth-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia.
No. 2 seed Djokovic’s loss got here only one evening after No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz, who entered the U.S. Open as the favourite to win the match, was defeated within the second spherical.
“It was just an awful match for me,” Djokovic stated. “I wasn’t playing even close to my best. It’s not good to be in that kind of state where you feel OK 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.”
CARLOS ALCARAZ UPSET IN SECOND ROUND AT US OPEN BY BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP IN STRAIGHT SETS
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, shakes palms with Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, throughout a 3rd spherical match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP)
Djokovic had sought to change into the primary participant in tennis historical past with 25 Grand Slam singles titles. However he as a substitute accomplished a yr with out claiming a minimum of one main championship for the primary time since 2017. Earlier than then, 2010 was the final time he completed a yr with out a main championship.
This yr marks the primary season since 2002 that Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer didn’t win a Slam trophy.
Djokovic’s third-round exit matches his worst exhibiting at Flushing Meadows, with the one different instances he was crushed that early on the U.S. Open coming in 2005 and 2006.
US OPEN PLAYER THAT LOST TO COCO GAUFF ADMITS TO NAPPING BETWEEN MATCHES
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts towards Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, throughout a 3rd spherical match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP)
He has reached the ultimate in Arthur Ashe Stadium 10 instances, and received the title in 2011, 2015, 2018 and 2023.
Nonetheless, on Friday, he double-faulted 14 instances and appeared bodily sluggish and emotionally flat. This comes after securing his first Olympic gold medal for Serbia by beating Alcaraz within the ultimate on the Paris Video games earlier this month.
“Obviously, it had an effect,” Djokovic stated. “I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically. But because it’s the U.S. Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I mean, I didn’t have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas. And you could see that with the way I played.”
Alexei Popyrin, of Australia, reacts towards Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, throughout a 3rd spherical match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP)
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Popyrin will now try to achieve his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, after beating Djokovic, as he seems to be to defeat No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, who outlasted No. 13 Ben Shelton in an all-American match that lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes on Friday night.
“If he serves well, plays well, he can beat anybody,” Djokovic stated about Popyrin. “Look, Alcaraz is out. I’m out. Some big upsets. The draw is opening up.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
