by Heading into the 2024 US Open, its two previous champions, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, were the betting favorites. The tournament then lost them both in the first week, in the space of two days, in a sport where titans rarely fall to non-titans.
Djokovic was beaten by No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the third round on Friday, a day after Alcaraz was eliminated from the tournament by unseeded Botic Van de Zandschulp. It was the Serbian star’s first Grand Slam exit since the 2017 Australian Open.
The two losses leave top seed Jannik Sinner favourite to win the US Open title, having won the 2024 Australian Open earlier this year.
It also means that the 2024 US Open will be the first Grand Slam without Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer in the round of 16 since the 2004 French Open, when Djokovic was 17 (per ESPN). This is a streak of 81 tournaments.
This year will also be the first time since 2002 that no member of the Big 3 will win a Grand Slam.
Alexei Popyrin deserved it against Novak Djokovic
As in the Alcaraz defeat, Djokovic was down by a set and a break before he really felt in trouble. Popyrin won a tight first set by regularly going to the net and forcing Djokovic to break him. Djokovic, who was still playing despite non-specific injuries, was unable to do so.
Djokovic looked even worse in the second set, before finally waking up in the third and breaking Popyrin on his first chance. He failed to consolidate that break, but came through well in the next two sets. Popyrin appeared to get injured late in the second set and made a number of errors in the third that looked like someone trying to conserve energy.
There were some funny points though.
If Popyrin was able to hold on to his strength, it paid off in the fourth set. Tied at 2-2, the Australian forced four break points and finally managed to break in the final set thanks to a magnificent crosscourt winner:
The celebration that followed was loud enough that women’s singles No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, who was still waiting to take the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium after midnight local time, I copied it in the training room.
Djokovic had a double break point in the next game, but that gave Popyrin the opportunity to show his mettle. The next four points: Popyrin forehand winner, Popyrin ace, Popyrin forehand winner, Popyrin ace. Then he broke Djokovic again to end the match.
It was an overall ugly match for Djokovic. While Alcaraz fell because he lacked a shot, Djokovic continued to drop points with 14 double faults, his most in a Grand Slam, and 49 unforced errors. Popyrin had some electric points, but he made enough errors of his own that a younger — or healthier — Djokovic would have made him pay.
Popyrin will face No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round, the 25-year-old’s first appearance beyond the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in his career. It wasn’t an unexpected upset like van de Zandschulp’s over Alcaraz, though. Popyrin won the Canadian Open, a key warm-up event for the U.S. Open, earlier this month and arrived in New York with as much momentum as he’s had in his career.
He’ll be meeting in Tiafoe a powerful veteran who survived a marathon five-set, four-hour match against Ben Shelton earlier Friday. But he’s already having a career highlight.
Novak Djokovic still waiting for his 25th Grand Slam
Djokovic’s US Open defeat means 2024 will be his first year without a Grand Slam victory since 2017. He lost to Sinner at the Australian Open, withdrew from the French Open with a knee injury and fell to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Djokovic at least got to savour his first Olympic gold medal this year in Paris, but at 37 it may be time to ask how many more Grand Slams he has left to win, especially when Alcaraz is just 21 and Sinner 23.
Next year, Djokovic will have the chance to win his 25th Grand Slam at the Australian Open, as well as his 11th title in Melbourne, an unprecedented record. Only Rafael Nadal has more titles in a single Grand Slam (Roland Garros, 14).
