Alexei Popyrin may have put an end to an era. For the first time since 2002, no grand slam in a calendar year will have been won by one of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.
The unlikely Australian took down Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the third round of the US Open, ending the Serbian’s hopes of a repeat win at Flushing Meadows.
Popyrin, the 28th-seeded player in the men’s bracket, played an emotional game back to front, celebrating emphatically as he inched closer and closer to a massive upset win.
He came out strong, beating the all-time grand slam record-holder 6-4 in consecutive sets to open the match and dig a deep hole for Djokovic to climb out of.
However, the 37-year-old wouldn’t go down without a fight, dominating the third set and holding on tight in the fourth. Eventually, however, his grip loosened and he lost a long game that saw Popyrin earn the break point.
That would prove the big turning point, as the 25-year-old won three of the next five games to close out the win.
Djokovic didn’t look himself in the match, committing a career-high 14 double faults and struggled to close out breakpoints.
Popyrin, whose highest ranking on the ATP Tour was 23 before this win, will now move on to his first fourth round at a grand slam with a match booked against the United States’ Francis Tiafoe.
The U.S. Open will now be without the No. 2-seeded Djokovic and No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz after the latter was upset in the second round on Friday. Djokovic hasn’t lost in the third round at the U.S. Open since 2006.