Popyrin, maximum danger for Djokovic in New York: "I can play him toe-to-toe"

Mónica Barberán Munera | 29 Aug 2024 | 19.01

Alexei Popyrin and Novak Djokovic at the US Open 2024. Photo: Getty

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Novak Djokovic continues to pursue his goal of defending the title at the US Open, but things are starting to get complicated for him. His debut was quite comfortable against Laslo Djere, where the Serbian did not play at his best as he admitted afterwards, not being dangerous from the baseline and struggling with his serve. Now, he must prepare to face one of the players who has caused him the most trouble this year, we are talking about Alexei Popyrin. The recent Masters 1000 champion in Montreal has given him a hard time at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Nole holds a positive record of 3-0 against the Australian, but he shouldn't take things for granted in New York.

Popyrin has made significant progress this season, reaching his best ranking as World No. 23 after winning his biggest title to date in Canada. But even before that, the Australian had already shown signs of his dangerous tennis, establishing himself as a rival who can pose a threat to Nole. In both Australia and Wimbledon, Alexei managed to take a set off Djokovic and pushed him to a tie-break in a couple of sets that could have changed everything. "I truly believe I could have won that match if I had taken the third set in the Australian Open. I felt like I was in the driver's seat, very comfortable there, enjoyed every moment. Djokovic is a very solid player, but I feel like he gives you opportunities from time to time in the points," Popyrin said after reaching the third round at the US Open.

Neither he nor anyone knows what would have happened if Popyrin had extended that match, but he has no doubt that he came close to doing more than in Wimbledon: "I think he played particularly well at Wimbledon. I didn't have many break chances and Novak mixed his serves very well. So, I didn't feel as comfortable as in Australia. I think that was probably the closest and that's the one that hurt me the most. Then I felt disappointed because I felt like I was in the match and could have had my chances to win there."

POTENTIAL THREATS FROM POPYRIN

Why is he so dangerous for Djokovic? There are several reasons related to his style of play, but also, the Serbian is not feeling his best on the court after his match against Djere. He struggled physically in that match, the heat and humidity took a toll on his stomach, and he wasn't sharp, especially on his serve. Therefore, Novak will need to improve his first serve percentages a lot against a player who will be very quick on the return. He must be vigilant against Popyrin's aggressive game and be decisive in crucial points, as the Australian will likely have several opportunities that, if capitalized, could lead to dominance.

On the other hand, Nole is one of the best returners on the circuit, but he will need to prove it against a Popyrin with a strong serve. Nole must make the most of each and every second serve from his opponent, who will not hesitate to take control with his powerful forehand. The reality is that he has many factors in his favor—confidence, motivation, and two solid wins in New York giving him wings. Could this be Popyrin's opportunity to achieve that long-awaited victory over Nole? "What I've learned from those two matches is simply that I can compete with him. He's the best of all time and one of the best players in the world right now, but I can go toe to toe with him, and only in the important points does he step up a bit, I just have to wait for that if I play with him," stated the Aussie.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Popyrin, máximo peligro para Djokovic en Nueva York: "Le puedo jugar de tú a tú"