Aussie Alexei Popyrin has pulled off the biggest boilover of his career after blasting Novak Djokovic off the court at the US Open on Saturday.
Popyrin sensationally snapped Djokovic’s 18-year grand slam winning streak over Australians with a seismic 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4 victory under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 28th seed, who has endured a career punctuated by injuries, showed no fear in the face of the 24-time grand slam winner and second seed who was fresh off claiming gold at the Paris Olympic Games.
Popyrin set up the dream showdown by defying searing heat to grind down Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-2 6-4 6-0 in round two and had not dropped a set heading into the huge clash against Djokovic.
Alexei Popyrin had lost to Djokovic twice at grand slams this year but turned the tide at Flushing Meadows in New York
After taking a month off between winning an elusive Olympic gold medal in Paris and arriving in New York eyeing an unprecedented 25th slam, Djokovic fell into a two sets to love hole against the Aussie.
Popyrin had lost to Djokovic twice already this year at Wimbledon and the Australian Open and was drawn against the former world No.1 in the third round again at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
‘This time lucky I guess,’ the elated Aussie star said.
‘Obviously I have had my battles with him, at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, I had my chances to get into those matches and didn’t take them.
‘I took my chances this time and played some good tennis.
‘I’ve been in the third round about 15 times, but I haven’t been able to get past the fourth round.
‘To do it against the greatest of all time to get the fourth round is unbelievable.’
Australian Alexei Popyrin is into the fourth round of the US Open after a massive upset over Serbian Novak Djokovic
The 24-time grand slam winner was dismantled by the Australian in four sets
Djokovic rallied to race out to a 3-0 lead before comfortably claiming the third set and one could feel the tide was turning and the 24-time grand slam winner was engineering another great escape.
Popyrin had the match on his racket at 5-2 in the fourth set but the Serbian superstar dug deep to level proceedings and eventually break.
It only delayed the inevitable, though, as the Aussie set up three match points and ultimately roared after claiming the biggest scalp of his career to date.
However Popyrin rose to the challenge to break Djokovic’s serve twice to put himself in a commanding position at 4-2 up in the potentially decisive set.
Fittingly, Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt was in Popyrin’s courtside box for the biggest win of the former French Open junior champion’s career.
Not since Hewitt in the US Open third round in 2006, when Djokovic was only 19, had an Australian conquered the longest-serving world No.1 in tennis history.
Since then, Djokovic – who completed the so-called golden slam with elusive Olympic Games glory last month – an had chalked up 15 successive victories over Aussies at the majors, including exacting revenge against Hewitt four times.
The sport’s now-undisputed GOAT had also taken down Jordan Thompson, Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios, John Millman, Carsten Ball and Thanasi Kokkinakis and Bernard Tomic twice each.
Popyrin will face the 20th seed Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16.
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