Major upset as Djokovic stumbles at US Open

As Djokovic exits, Tiafoe, Gauff, Fritz, and Sabalenka advance with Zverev and Ruud battling through intense matches

NEW YORK:

Novak Djokovic’s quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title came to an unexpected end at the US Open, as the defending champion was defeated in the third round by Alexei Popyrin. The 37-year-old Serbian, who recently won Olympic gold in Paris, struggled to find his form and lost 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to the Australian. This marks the first time since 2017 that Djokovic will finish the year without a major title.

"I spent a lot of energy winning gold and arrived in New York mentally and physically drained," Djokovic explained after the match. He added that while he had no physical issues, he felt "out of gas," which affected his performance.

This year will also be the first since 2002 without a Grand Slam victory from one of the "Big Three" — Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, or Roger Federer. Djokovic’s loss follows the early exit of French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, creating a rare opportunity for other players to chase glory.

Frances Tiafoe kept his dream alive of becoming the first American man to win the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003. He overcame fellow American Ben Shelton 4-6, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 to advance. Taylor Fritz also progressed, defeating Francisco Comesana 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, and became the first American man since Andre Agassi in 2003 to reach the last 16 in all four Grand Slams in a single year. "It’s pretty cool," said Fritz, reflecting on his improved Grand Slam performances compared to last year.

Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff faced a tough challenge from Elina Svitolina, dropping the first set but recovering to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Gauff admitted she needed a mental reset after losing momentum at the end of the first set and made adjustments to return stronger.

In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka had a shaky start in the latest US Open match on record, beginning at 12:08 a.m. Saturday. Despite the slow start, she overcame Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Alexander Zverev survived a late-night thriller, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 in the second-latest finish in U.S. Open history at 2:35 a.m., narrowly missing the 2:50 a.m. record set by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2022.

Former world number two Paula Badosa also fought back after losing the first set to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(8). Badosa, who had contemplated retirement due to a back injury, expressed relief at her recent form, having won her first title in two years in Washington.

However, Victoria Azarenka, a three-time US Open runner-up, could not avoid elimination, falling to unseeded Wang Yafan 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. China’s Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen continued her winning streak, defeating Jule Niemeier 6-2, 6-1, while Shang Juncheng’s journey ended as he lost a two-set lead against eighth seed Casper Ruud.

1. Ruud, last year’s runner-up, credited his mental resilience for his 6-7(1), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1 comeback win. "We’re all physically strong out here. It’s about having the right mindset and believing all the way," Ruud said.