Novak Djokovic has proved an insurmountable hurdle for Alexei Popyrin at the Grand Slams this year.
Djokovic stopped Popyrin in four sets in the second round of Australian Open 2024, and at Wimbledon, again in four sets, this time in the third round.
They meet at the same stage of the 2024 US Open, where Djokovic is the defending champion and flying high as the reigning Olympic gold medallist.
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The world No.2 has the added motivation of winning an all-time record 25th Grand Slam singles title this fortnight in New York.
But on Friday he will encounter a different Popyrin, a player who recently broke through for his first ATP Masters 1000 crown in Montreal, and who is surging with confidence.
Seeded for the first time at a major, is this the occasion Popyrin turns the tables on a player he describes as the Greatest of All Time?
“I had chances in both matches and it's just a matter of taking those chances and playing good on the big points,” said Popyrin, a 6-2 6-4 6-0 second-round winner over Pedro Martinez in sweltering conditions on Wednesday.
“That's what he did well those two matches [at the Australian Open and Wimbledon] and what I didn't do too well. If I can do that, then who knows what can happen?
“But I just want to keep playing the way I have been the last two or three weeks; I think I feel really good out there.”
Let’s do that AGAIN 🍿🍿🍿 Djokovic v Popyrin #rematch pic.twitter.com/TiDMvZsxLI
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) August 29, 2024
Popyrin appeared on this week’s episode of The Sit-Down podcast and discussed the belief he currently had in his game, after beating five consecutive top-20 players – including three inside the top 10 – to win the biggest title of his career in Canada.
“The confidence that I have right now … It's so amazing to be able to play tennis when you're high on confidence,” he said.
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But it will take a herculean effort to unseat Djokovic, a player against whom he trails the head-to-head 0-3, and someone he admitted he does not enjoy playing.
“I think at AO, I had two or three set points at 5-4 to go two-sets-to-one up, so I think that one was probably the closest [compared to Wimbledon], and that one hurt more,” Popyrin said.
"I enjoy the moment, I enjoy playing on a big court. I'm sure it'll be Arthur Ashe, and I've never been on it, never even stepped foot on it, so we'll see how it is. I enjoy the big moments and the big courts, I think you guys know that.
“But he's obviously the greatest of all time and a really tough opponent, and I don't think anybody enjoys playing him.”
Djokovic, who reached the Wimbledon final before his Olympic breakthrough, enters the match under a slight cloud.
He received medical treatment after the first set of his second-round match against compatriot Laslo Djere, and it took two sapping hours to complete the first two sets, before Djere ultimately retired early in the third.
Djokovic admitted he’d been struggling on serve so far in New York, before adding: “But I'm fine. I'll find my way, as I have done many times in my career.”
He did recognise, however, that Popyrin represented a tough assignment at this point his title defence.
“I'm happy to win four-set another time, don't get me wrong,” Djokovic said with the hint of a smile.
“But he keeps on getting closer and closer, knocking on that door.
“He's a really good player. We always knew he has a big serve and forehand, but I think his backhand and his movement improved a lot. So he's much better defending, and he's more consistent. He doesn't make as many errors as he used to. Just overall great improvement from his side.
“He's pumped. He's confident, and he shows that. He's been playing some great tennis, so no reason for him not to believe that he can put up a great performance, and he's going to go for the win.
“But I know what to expect as well. We played a couple of times. I'm going to, of course, do my homework, analyse those matches, and see what needs to be done.”