Novak Djokovic’s Unexpected Loss Opens Up US Open, Popyrin Emerges as Dark Horse
Salekin
Editor & Writer
Big shock at US Open: Novak Djokovic exits, tournament opens with Poppyrin’s hand
On the fifth day, the king of tennis departed
The king of tennis, Novak Djokovic, retired on day five of the US Open. Just 24 hours ago, after the departure of Carlos Alcaraz, this time Novak Djokovic also walked the same path. Alexey Poprin, the powerful Australian server, delivered a seismic shock at the tournament, upsetting Novak Djokovic with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Djokovic’s disappointment
Novak Djokovic left the court with both hands raised in greeting to the crowd. However, he admitted in the media room at midnight that he had not been in a good mood since he set foot in the United States.
Given his feel and style of play, he considers reaching the third round a success. “I played the worst tennis of my life, honestly, the serve was the worst. It was a terrible match for me,” he said.
His struggles with serve
His words are not wrong. He committed 14 double faults against Poppyrin, and 18 in his two previous matches combined. Since returning from medial meniscus surgery in his right knee, his service motion has been awkward. But the ball was still going into the box. In this tournament, he has only hit 52 percent of first serves correctly. His career batting average hovers around the mid-60s.
Finding the cause
He could not explain it. Maybe the mental and physical stress of the Olympics, where he played one of the best matches of his life in the final and ended up on his knees crying on the clay, still has an effect. He felt “absolutely powerless” during his days in New York, failing to find himself on the court where he won the title four times. He tried every trick he knew – fast, slow, high, low, slices, hard, slow. Nothing worked.
Mental Struggle
“It was a really big struggle for me mentally to play these three matches here because I didn’t play my best. The game is falling apart, and I think you have to accept that tournaments like this happen,” he said.
An unexpected farewell
Such things happen, but usually not with him. When he thinks that might happen, he tries to play a little bit better every day and get back into his rhythm. That was his plan last week in New York, as it has been at many Grand Slams. However, on this occasion, he was unable to replicate his previous success.
The future of the tournament
As a result of the loss, Novak Djokovic has gone from defending champion to tournament analyst, trying to calculate the draw like everyone else.
No. 1 seed Janik Sinner still holds on, but those two results in two nights left the US Open men’s draw wide open. Players who almost made it to Grand Slams like Casper Rudd and Alexander Zverev, and a group of desperate dreamers hoping to become the first American to win a Grand Slam since 2003 are now suddenly dreaming.
“With Alcaraz eliminated, I’m also withdrawing. This tournament has witnessed its fair share of unexpected events. The draw is very open now. Of course, Ciner is the main favorite now, but then, you know, there’s Tiafoe, there’s Fritz. There’s Zverev, there’s a lot of good guys playing well,” Novak Djokovic said. , and this part has Rublev and Dmitrov. Anyone can win it.”
Reasons for Novak Djokovic’s loss
Novak Djokovic‘s defeat is simultaneously understandable yet utterly unexpected. He is 37 years old, just two and a half months after knee surgery. A month earlier, she had perhaps the most emotional victory of her career, defeating Alcaraz to win Olympic gold, the only major tennis prize that had so far eluded her.
He triumphed on the clay courts of Roland Garros during the Paris Games. Remarkably, before his initial victory in the New York tournament, a hard-court clash against Moldovan Radu Albot on Monday evening, he hadn’t competed on a hard surface all year. The Olympic gold medal, his first title of 2024, reignited his passion, yet he maintained that his career goals were fulfilled. As a tennis player, he had achieved everything he set out to do. At the US Open, his rackets, attire, and gear arrived at the court in bags of shimmering gold, a testament to his illustrious career.
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Unexpected rate
A loss so early in a Grand Slam tournament still comes as a high-voltage shock. Djokovic has not lost a Grand Slam this early since 2017 when Denis Istomin knocked him out of the Australian Open. Then, his right elbow began to deteriorate and eventually required surgery.
In the past four years, only a freak injury, an unforced default for unintentionally hitting a line judge with the ball and his refusal to get vaccinated for the coronavirus have kept Djokovic away from the business end of Grand Slam tournaments.
The challenge of papyrus
Then came Popperin on Friday night, with his arms loose in front of a raucous crowd of more than 24,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Twice this year, he’s pushed Djokovic to the brink in Grand Slams. In January, he was a single point from taking a two-sets-to-one lead at the Australian Open. Even at Wimbledon, he managed to snatch a set from an injured Djokovic, before the latter’s mastery on grass ultimately prevailed.
Friday night was supposed to be more routine for Djokovic. The sweltering heat and humidity that turned the Ashe into a steam room on Wednesday has broken, giving Djokovic a chance to play in the cool evening air where he usually thrives. He still uses a cooling tube and mitt when changing.
Initially, he appeared somewhat detached from the tournament, his motivation seemingly waning. However, Alcaraz’s exit from the competition cleared a path for Djokovic to secure the title. This shift in circumstances, a familiar catalyst for him, seemed to rekindle his drive. It brought the prospect of a historic 25th Grand Slam title tantalizingly close, even amidst the physical challenges posed by a demanding summer season
When he got interested against Poppyrin, the tall, 6-foot-5-inch Australian powered his way to a two-set lead with shoulders as wide as a mailbox. He bullied the best returner in the history of the game with a serve that dipped into the corner and dropped, setting up an easy second ball for Poperyn to eat with his long stroke.
Irresistible game of Popyrin
Novak Djokovic is no stranger to these challenging circumstances. He has an impressive history of rallying from two-set deficits at Grand Slam events, achieving this feat a remarkable eight times throughout his career. Notably, he demonstrated this resilience just last year at this very tournament, overcoming his fellow Serbian, Laszlo Djere.
Typically, securing a single service break in the third set is all it takes for him to gain momentum and take control. He wins it, and the man on the other side of the net moves before the relentless wave that he knows overwhelms him.
He got it on Friday night against Poppyrin and quickly went through the third set as the Australian managed with a sprained ankle that limited his movement. Novak Djokovic raised his arms to the crowd, imploring them to get louder for him, but there was something half-hearted about it, not really the warrior’s look in his eyes.
As Novak Djokovic began his comeback, Poperin said he tried to square two competing schools of thought. Novak Djokovic was having an off night, but he has shown this magic so many times before. He remains the greatest male player of all time in the modern era.
“I was waiting for him to come forward,” he said. “There have been countless times when he’s come back from two-sets-to-love down and I didn’t want to be one of those moments.”
Irresistible papyrine
During the fourth set, Poperin accomplished something rarely seen against Djokovic in these high-stakes encounters: he found his resolve. In the fifth game, backed deep behind the baseline, he unleashed a blistering forehand that found the corner with pinpoint accuracy.
Djokovic’s Stunning Loss
Novak Djokovic can watch his head spin and hit the target as the stadium explodes. Poppyrin had the first glimpse of the finish line. Usually, Djokovic puts it back in the distance. Instead, two games later, Novak Djokovic pushed Poperin even closer. A series of double faults followed by two excellent passes from Poppyrin, and a forehand push over the baseline took the match to 5-2.
Novak Djokovic pauses in his chair during the changeover, then walks to the back of the court, like a man ready to finish his execution.
As a strategy, it worked, shaking Poperin into a loose game and giving Novak Djokovic a comeback.
One game later though, Poppyrin found his backbone again. An ace on his second serve presented him with three opportunities to clinch the match. Then Novak Djokovic’s final forehand went long, to end the night and blow the tournament away.
Open Road
With Novak Djokovic’s exit, the way to win the US Open men’s title has been wide open. Now many players have a chance to win the title. These include Janic Sinner, Francis Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, and Grigor Dimitrov.
Fan Reaction
Tennis fans are quite disappointed with the unexpected departure of Novak Djokovic. They offered their heartfelt sympathies and support to their cherished player through social media channels. Many have again praised Popyrin. They say the emergence of young talent like Poperine is positive for tennis.
Rise of Popyrene
Alexei Popyrin’s victory is a major milestone in his career. Reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament was an unprecedented accomplishment for him. This win will boost his confidence and motivate him to do better in the future.
Americans Opportunity
With both Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz out, the American players now have a huge opportunity. Francis Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are both in good form. If they can do their best, maybe the long wait will end for an American to win a Grand Slam title again.
Other Competitors
Janic Ciner remains the main favorite. But other competitors are also getting a chance to jump in. Experienced players like Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, and Grigor Dimitrov are also now seeing their potential.
Last Word
The US Open has taken on another dimension. The departures of Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz make the tournament more open, and more competitive. Now anyone can be a champion. We will surely see many more surprises in the coming days. Now is the time to wait for tennis fans.
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