Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title ended abruptly as 28th-ranked Alexei Popyrin defeated the defending champion in the US Open third round. Popyrin secured a stunning 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory, marking Djokovic’s earliest US Open exit in 18 years and his earliest Grand Slam loss since 2017.
Despite holding a 3-0 record against Popyrin, including wins at this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon, Djokovic struggled with 14 double faults and 49 unforced errors. Popyrin, buoyed by his recent success at the Montreal Masters, took the first two sets with aggressive play, while Djokovic briefly rallied in the third set. However, the 25-year-old Australian maintained his composure, breaking Djokovic in a tense fourth set and sealing the match with a love game.
Reflecting on the loss, Djokovic admitted, “It was just an awful match for me.” Meanwhile, Popyrin celebrated his victory, saying, “To be in the fourth round of a Grand Slam by beating the greatest of all time is unbelievable.”
