NEW YORK — One other day, one other beautiful upset on the US Open.
Simply 24 hours after Carlos Alcaraz was handed his earliest exit on the match, defending champion and No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic misplaced to No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, within the third spherical on the identical court docket.
Taking part in within the prime-time night time match Friday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, few thought the 25-year-old Australian had an opportunity in opposition to Djokovic, who was on a quest to make historical past with a record-breaking twenty fifth main title, and had simply received Olympic gold in Paris. That they had met twice in majors this season — on the Australian Open and Wimbledon — and Popyrin had been unable to win in both match.
However Friday was completely different.
Maybe nonetheless driving the momentum from profitable his first Masters 1000-level title on the Canadian Open earlier this month, and buoyed by his 50 winners on the night time and Djokovic’s poor serving, Popyrin performed the perfect match of his profession.
“It is unbelievable as a result of I have been within the third spherical about 15 instances and I have not been in a position to get to the fourth,” Popyrin mentioned on the court docket after the match. “To have the ability to do it in opposition to the best of all time is unbelievable. It is an awesome feeling and the exhausting work paid off.”
Djokovic, who had knee surgical procedure in June, later referred to as his efficiency “terrible” and mentioned it was “among the worst tennis” he had ever performed. The 37-year-old admitted he felt drained after an intense summer season schedule, which noticed a number of floor adjustments.
“I spent a variety of power profitable the gold, and I did arrive to New York simply not feeling recent mentally and bodily,” Djokovic mentioned. “However as a result of it is the US Open, you already know, I gave it a shot and I attempted my greatest. I imply, I did not have any bodily points. I simply felt out of gasoline, you already know, and you can see that with the best way I performed.”
Djokovic formally concluded his Slam season with out a title for the primary time since 2017. It is the primary season a member of the Massive Three (Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer) did not win a significant trophy since 2002.
And the match is now the one Slam to not have the boys’s No. 2 or 3 seed within the spherical of 16 in additional than 22 years.
For sure, it has been a shocking first week in Queens and, with two of the favorites now eradicated, the boys’s title could be very a lot up for grabs. So, who has the strongest likelihood to hoist the trophy as we head into Day 6? Given the best way this match has began, predictions may very well be very difficult, however we’ll nonetheless strive. (And sure, we acknowledge the gamers within the prime half of the draw have but to play their third-round matches.)
Up subsequent: Third spherical vs. Christopher O’Connell (Saturday)
The world No. 1 was thought-about a pre-tournament favourite alongside Alcaraz and Djokovic, however the announcement of his two optimistic exams for a banned substance in March resulted in heavy scrutiny and it was unclear how he would fare contemplating the circumstances. Sinner, 23, dropped the primary set of his opening-round match in opposition to Mackenzie McDonald however has in any other case cruised into the third spherical and his play has been largely unaffected by the off-court chatter.
Sinner has by no means superior previous the quarterfinals in New York however is the present Australian Open champion and took house the title in Cincinnati earlier this month in his closing lead-in occasion. He is top-of-the-line at present on the exhausting court docket and able to beating anybody left within the draw.
Up subsequent: Third spherical vs. No. 31 Flavio Cobolli (Saturday)
The one remaining US Open champion left within the draw, the 2021 winner arrived to the match just below the radar after lackluster outcomes at each Montreal and Cincinnati and having not received a title all season. Nevertheless, the fan favourite has dropped only one set en path to the third spherical and will get previous Cobolli of their first profession assembly. Nuno Borges or Jakub Mensik would await within the spherical of 16.
Medvedev, 28, most likely would face Sinner within the quarterfinals and it is exhausting to assume anybody has a greater likelihood to defeat the World No. 1 than Medvedev. A 3-time US Open finalist, he actually has expertise on his aspect and prospers beneath the lights on Ashe in entrance of a rowdy crowd.
The winner of that presumed match would instantly grow to be the favourite.
Up subsequent: Fourth spherical vs. No. 28 Alexei Popyrin (Sunday)
As you’ve got most likely heard numerous instances, no American man has received a significant title because the US Open in 2003. However did you see what Tiafoe did in opposition to Ben Shelton, his fellow countryman, on Friday within the third spherical? Needing 5 units and over 4 hours, Tiafoe dug deep and located a solution for Shelton’s highly effective serve. By the match’s finish, the 26-year-old had grow to be the primary American man since Andre Agassi (2001-2005) to achieve the spherical of 16 on the match in 5 consecutive seasons.
An electrifying showman who thrives in entrance of the largest crowds and on the largest levels, Tiafoe is as beloved a participant in New York as there may be and may have the followers firmly behind him in each match he performs. He has made it clear the US Open is his prime precedence — even skipping the Olympics this summer season to greatest put together for the floor. He made the ultimate in Cincinnati, and reached the US Open semifinals in 2022. With Djokovic now out of the best way, Tiafoe’s path to the quarters — and past — turned considerably simpler and there is maybe nobody who desires this extra. When requested if an American man may finish the drought on the match, he referred to as it a “sort of a ‘Why not?’ factor.” So why not Tiafoe?
Up subsequent: Fourth spherical vs. No. 8 Casper Ruud (Sunday)
Let’s begin with the plain: Ruud, a 2022 US Open finalist, won’t be a simple opponent and that match may actually go both method. However, like Tiafoe, Fritz may have the assist of the house crowd and the additional motivation of wanting to finish the winless main streak — one thing he had beforehand mentioned fueled him.
And to not point out, he has had an unimaginable season and robust displaying through the first week. He has reached the spherical of 16 at each main this 12 months — turning into the primary American since Agassi to take action in a single season — and received two titles in 2024, along with claiming Olympic bronze in doubles. Fritz, 26, hasn’t misplaced a set in three matches and had a very spectacular second-round win over former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini. He has reached 4 main quarterfinals in his profession, together with on the 2023 US Open, however has by no means superior past the spherical. To cite Tiafoe, who Fritz may probably play within the semis, “Why not?”
Up subsequent: Fourth spherical vs. No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov (Sunday)
There have been numerous males up for consideration for this final spot, together with Popyrin, Ruud, Dimitrov, and American Tommy Paul, however finally Rublev was the selection. After a considerably baffling season, the 26-year-old lastly appears again on observe and has been enjoying some high-quality tennis on the floor this summer season. He superior to the ultimate at Montreal and the quarterfinals at Cincinnati, and has discovered methods to win in New York regardless of some struggles.
Although he received his opener and third-round matches in straight units, he fell right into a two-set deficit within the second spherical in opposition to Arthur Rinderknech. However Rublev fought again and clawed his strategy to victory. It was simply the second win of his profession from two-sets-to-love down, and first in almost 4 years. A ten-time main quarterfinalist, together with 4 instances on the US Open, Rublev has by no means managed to flee the ultimate eight.
If he can get previous a resurgent Dimitrov on Sunday, the winner of Tiafoe-Popyrin awaits. It appears possible he’ll in some unspecified time in the future discover a strategy to advance to the semifinals (or past) and maybe he may acknowledge this as his greatest likelihood but and capitalize on the chance.
