Alexei Popyrin Knocks Out Defending Champ Novak Djokovic in US Open Third Round

An Upset for the Ages

In a stunning upset, Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin defeated world number one and defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic in the third round of the 2020 tournament.

The 21-year-old Popyrin, ranked 114th in the world, played the match of his life, hitting 45 winners and converting all six of his break points.

Djokovic, who was seeking his fourth consecutive US Open title, was uncharacteristically error-prone, committing 52 unforced errors.

Popyrin's Path to Victory

Popyrin began the tournament with a straight-sets victory over Quentin Halys of France.

In the second round, he upset 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in four sets.

Against Djokovic, Popyrin played with confidence and aggression, never allowing the defending champion to find his rhythm.

Djokovic's Struggles

Djokovic entered the US Open as the heavy favorite, but he was far from his best in his match against Popyrin.

The Serbian star struggled with his serve, hitting only 54% of his first serves.

He also made a number of uncharacteristic errors, including several double faults.

The Upset's Impact

Popyrin's victory over Djokovic is one of the biggest upsets in recent US Open history.

It has thrown the men's singles draw wide open, and it has given hope to other young players that they can compete with the top players in the world.

For Djokovic, the loss is a major setback.

He will now have to wait until next year to try to win his 18th Grand Slam title.