Alexei Popyrin approaches his fourth ATP Tour showdown with Novak Djokovic, having breezed through his matches at Queens with straight-set victories over Kwon Soon-woo and Pedro Martinez.
In his second-round win over Martinez, the Australian 28th seed dominated, dropping only six games to secure a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 triumph. Now, as he prepares for Friday’s clash against arguably the greatest player to ever wield a tennis racquet, Popyrin is eager to challenge the four-time US Open champion.
Despite his solid performances at Flushing Meadows, Popyrin’s previous four main draw appearances at the US Open have ended in third-round exits in 2019 and 2021. This year, he’s already matched that feat, improving on his first-round exit from last year. However, the task ahead is daunting, as Djokovic, who recently bested him at Wimbledon, awaits.
Djokovic, while not at his peak in the early rounds, displayed his trademark resilience in his first-round match against Radu Albot and in Wednesday’s night session against fellow Serbian Laslo Djere. The Serbian has faced challenges on serve, with 10 double faults in his opener and eight more before Djere retired, allowing Djokovic to advance with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 lead.
Despite not playing at his highest level, Djokovic’s determination has been evident, extending rallies and pressuring his opponents into errors. The result is an eight-match winning streak since his Wimbledon final loss to Carlos Alcaraz, all achieved without dropping a set.
With a commanding head-to-head record, Djokovic enters Friday’s match as the clear favorite. Their previous encounters, including a straight-sets win for Djokovic in 2019 and more competitive matches in 2024, suggest Popyrin faces a tough battle to reach his first Major fourth round.
**Tournament so far:**
*Alexei Popyrin:*
– First round: vs. Kwon Soon-woo 7-5, 6-2, 6-3
– Second round: vs. Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-4, 6-0
*Novak Djokovic:*
– First round: vs. Radu Albot 6-2, 6-2, 6-4
– Second round: vs. Laslo Djere 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 ret.
**Head to Head:**
– Japan Open (2019) – Round of 32: Djokovic 6-4, 6-2
– Australian Open (2024) – Second round: Djokovic 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3
– Wimbledon (2024) – Third round: Djokovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3)
Heading into their fourth ATP Tour meeting, Djokovic remains undefeated against Popyrin, with the Serbian favored to continue his dominance. Having already faced off at Slams in Australia and Wimbledon this year, the stage is set for another thrilling encounter at the US Open.
