"Poor Performance of Tennis Career Peak": Djokovic Experiences Shocking Elimination
At the US Open, unexpected upsets keep happening. Following Carlos Alcaraz's exit a day prior, Novak Djokovic also had to vacate the arena. He suffered a loss to Alexei Popyrin in a fierce four-set battle. For Djokovic, this early departure marks his earliest exit at a major tournament in over seven years.
Djokovic packs up his belongings, hastily waves goodbye, and disappears into the NYC night, looking shocked: The defending champion has unexpectedly tumbled out in the third round of the US Open, joining Alcaraz in providing another major upset at Flushing Meadows. The Serbian Olympic gold medalist loses to the relentless Australian Alexei Popyrin in Arthur Ashe Stadium 6:4, 6:4, 2:6, 6:4, dashing his dream of a 25th Grand Slam title.
"He played better and deserved the win. After how poor I felt and played during this tournament, reaching the third round is an accomplishment. I played the worst tennis of my life," Djokovic admitted minutes after his departure in the bustling press room. At 37, this is Djokovic's earliest US Open exit since 2008 - his last failure to reach the fourth round at a major tournament was nearly eight years ago (Australian Open 2017). After bagging the Olympic gold, Djokovic admitted, "I feel a bit drained, but life goes on."
The Serb had crossed his last significant sporting milestone by claiming the gold medal in Paris, but he emphasized that he still felt far from satisfied. The surprising defeat against Popyrin now presents a significant hurdle for the record Grand Slam winner, who is in the twilight of his career.
Struggling far from prime form
By late Friday night, Djokovic appeared miles away from his prime form and the unwavering composure that defined him for years. Foremost, he grappled with his serve. Popyrin, ranked 28th in the world, ruthlessly pounced on Djokovic's faults in the initial sets and surpassed his usual play. Djokovic recovered slightly in the third set, but a major turnaround never transpired. After around three hours of intense play in the world's largest stadium, Popyrin, set to face American Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16, clinched victory with his first match point.
"I took my chances and played well. To accomplish this against the greatest player of all time is incredible. An amazing feeling. The hard work finally pays off," Popyrin declared, basking in his victory. Just two days prior, the third-ranked Alcaraz sensationally surrendered in three sets to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. As Alcaraz and Djokovic withdraw, the top-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner remains the tournament's leading contender.
Djokovic, visibly shocked, asks the reporters in the bustling press room, "What is it that led to my early exit at this year's US Open?"
The early exit from the US Open, coupled with Alcaraz's previous unexpected loss, has resulted in a significant shakeup in the tournament, leaving Sinner as the leading contender.
