“I don’t think he’s got any weakness,” Alexei Popyrin said before his clash against Novak Djokovic in the 2024 Australian Open. However, he relied on his “big weapons” to do some “damage” to Djokovic’s gameplay. Although he failed to claim his success in that match, Popyrin’s dream finally came true in the third round of the US Open. At four, the now Australian No. 2 player dreamed of making a name in tennis. Fast-forward to 21 years later, and his career’s greatest win in the US Open is making the former World No. 23 realize an unconventional truth about triumphs and prestige. One that includes Djokovic at the center of it!

With his Canadian Open title in hand, Alexei Popyrin arrived at the US Open brimming with confidence, cruising past both Kwon Soon-woo and Pedro Martinez in straight sets in R1 and R2, respectively. The next challenge for him was to defeat Djokovic, against whom he has fallen short three times in the past. The 25-year-old took full advantage of Djokovic’s career-high 14 double faults in the match, closing in on him to establish a score of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at the end. “Third time lucky [this year], I guess,” said Popyrin, who threw his arms into the air while smiling after his win over the Serb.

Recalling that moment of victory, the Australian player, known for his strong serve and powerful groundstrokes, said in an interview, “For me winning Montreal was way bigger than beating Novak Djokovic here. It’s a Masters 1000 title. That felt unbelievable. Today it was something I kind thought I could do. It was something unbelievable like Montreal.” Seeded 28th, Alexei Popyrin later admitted how getting “past to the fourth round,” after playing 15 times in the third round during his career was quite unbelievable for him. It was indeed more than just a match for him!

“To be able to do it against the greatest of all time to get into the fourth round is unbelievable. It’s a great feeling and the hard work has paid off,” further said Popyrin, who turned pro in 2017. As per him, it was the four-set battle loss in the Australian Open and Wimbledon this season that provided him with the “confidence” to win in New York, ultimately proving himself and his thoughts to be “right”! 

Popyrin’s admission showcases his admiration for Djokovic, whom he considers to be the G.O.A.T. of tennis. However, his battle is far from over, with Frances Tiafoe waiting for him in the round of 16 match. While Popyrin prepares for another showdown, Djokovic sat down for an interview to share his raw emotions after the match.

Novak Djokovic’s heartfelt admission after facing a heartbreaking loss against Alexei Popyrin

This year we saw Djokovic fulfil his lifelong dream of winning an Olympic gold. At the same time, we also saw him finish a season without securing at least one major championship since 2017. The 24 Grand Slam champion, who recorded 49 unforced errors and could not convert 12 of 16 break points, said, “I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever.”

“If you play on a quick surface like this without the serve, without [the] ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can’t win,” further added Djokovic, who made 32 double faults in his three matches in the US Open this year.

Concluding it by calling it an “awful,” match, Djokovic did not forget to congratulate Alexei Popyrin for his success. Although Djokovic mentioned how he tried his “best” to win, he admitted that he felt “out of gas” while playing in the Flushing Meadows. However, Alexei Popyrin is enjoying his hard-earned victory in New York. And his disclosure offers a glimpse into Popyrin’s mindset and priorities, showcasing the value he places on beating the best in the business.