Australia’s rising tennis star Alexei Popyrin has scored the biggest win of his career, stunning Novak Djokovic at the US Open.
Under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night, Popyrin won the first two sets of the match … but the 25-year-old then had to withstand a fightback from the champion Serb, who won the third set 6-2.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Alexei Popyrin stuns Novak at US Open.
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In a tense fourth set, Djokovic was suddenly gripped with serving yips, while the ice-cool Sydneysider was rock solid on his delivery, fending off seven of eight break points he faced.
He went up a double-break, then lost on his serve, then took the set and match, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
It is the first time since 2006 that Djokovic has not made it to the fourth round of the tournament (and in that year — when he was 19 — he lost to Australian great and Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt).
Fittingly, Hewitt was in Popyrin’s courtside box to watch the former French Open junior champion’s stunning boilover.
It is also the first time since the 2017 Australian Open that Djokovic has lost in the first week of a grand slam.
Djokovic had previously denied Popyrin in four sets at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year.
But “not tonight”, Popyrin could have said this time when the pair shook hands at the net on tennis’s biggest stage as more than 23,000 fans digested the monumental upset.
“Third time lucky, I guess,” the Aussie said after the match.
“Honestly, we had some battles at Australian Open and at Wimbledon.
“I had my chances of getting in those matches but didn’t take them.
“This match I was able to take my chances when I got him and play some good tennis.
“It’s unbelievable because I’ve been in the third round about 15 times but I haven’t been able to get past to the fourth round in my career.
“And to be able to do it against the greatest of all time, to get in to the fourth round is unbelievable.”
Popyrin entered the US Open seeded at a slam for the first time … after also becoming the first Australian since Hewitt in 2003 to win an ATP 1000 crown.
But few could have predicted the clinical manner in which the Montreal Masters champ dismantled Djokovic.
In a huge turning point, Popyrin held serve from 0-40 in the sixth game of the opening set before breaking Djokovic at 4-4 and closing out the set to love.
The gritty underdog shrugged off the disappointment of not nabbing another break in the first game of the second set when Djokovic dished out three double-faults.
Popyrin patiently waited for another chance, and took it with a sizzling forehand pass to break for 5-3 and then seize a commanding two-sets-to-love advantage.
After sending the ageing world No.2 packing, Popyrin can now dream big, storming into the last 16 of a slam for the first time.
And the door is open, with Djokovic’s exit following the departure of another pre-tournament favourite, Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic is desperate to break Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 singles majors.
While he was hoping to do that with a fifth title at Flushing Meadows, he will now have to wait for the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in January.
By then, however, the 10-time Aus Open champion will be four months shy of 38.
– With AAP
