Novak falls to Popyrin in R3 of the US Open – Novak Djokovic

Defending champion Novak Djokovic was eradicated on the 2024 US Open on Friday night time after a 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6 third spherical loss to twenty eighth seed Alexei Popyrin.

The Serbian star will finish a season with out a main championship title for the primary time since 2017. It’s his earliest departure from the US Open since he misplaced in the identical spherical in 2005 and 2006.

Novak was lower than his common excessive requirements. He served a career-high 14 double faults in a Grand Slam match, and received the purpose solely on 19 of his 40 journeys to the web.

Popyrin broke Djokovic 5 occasions from 12 alternatives, whereas the four-time US Open titlist capitalised on 4 of his 16 break level probabilities. The match lasted three hours and 16 minutes.

“Simply an terrible match for me,” Novak mentioned. “I spent a number of power profitable the gold in Paris and I did arrive in New York not feeling contemporary. I attempted my finest, I didn’t have any bodily points. I simply felt out of gasoline, and you might see that. From the primary match I simply didn’t discover myself on this court docket. Life strikes on. I’ll attempt to recalibrate and look ahead to what’s subsequent.”

Match statistics: aces (16-15), double faults (14-6), winners (40-50), unforced errors (49-50), complete factors received (127-130).

Novak will subsequent go on court docket in a Davis Cup World Group I tie towards Greece in Belgrade, Serbia.

You may obtain Nole’s desktop calendar for September 2024 right here.

Photograph: Profimedia