He’s never even set foot on Arthur Ashe Stadium, but giant-killing Australian Alexei Popyrin reckons he’s got the game to stop the tennis GOAT.
If he can execute.
Fans will find out on Friday when Popyrin faces defending champion Novak Djokovic in a blockbuster third-round US Open encounter, almost certainly under the bright lights of New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium in the feature men’s night match.
Forget Broadway, seeing Djokovic – who stands five wins away from an unprecedented 25 grand slam singles titles – continue his quest for sporting immortality is the hottest ticket in town.
Popyrin set up the dream showdown by defying searing heat to grind down Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-2 6-4 6-0 as a trio of his Australian cohorts crashed back to earth on day three at Flushing Meadows.
The 28th seed was made to work hard in the heatwave conditions, twice having to fight back from a service break down in the second set.
Popyrin, though, showed his mettle to pull through in one hour and 48 minutes, his supreme final set sending a statement to Djokovic.
“It was really hot. Probably after the Olympics this year, this is probably one of the hottest conditions I’ve played in,” Popyrin said.
“At moments, I felt quite rough but I trusted my fitness. I trusted my team and the most important thing, especially in this weather, was that we got through in straight sets and we have the maximum time to recover now.
“That was my biggest focus throughout the match.”
Second-seeded Djokovic advanced when his Serbian countryman Laslo Djere retired with an apparent abdominal muscle strain while trailing 6-4 6-4 2-0 in the men’s feature night match.
Popyrin has yet to drop a set en route to the last 32 and blasted another 13 aces on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in the perfect tune-up for men’s tennis’s longest-serving world No.1 ever.
The freshly crowned Montreal Masters champion has recent experience against the super Serb, having lost in four sets twice this year already at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
“I had chances in both matches and it’s just a matter of taking those chances and playing good on the big points,” Popyrin said.
“That’s what he did well those two matches and what I didn’t do too well.
“So if I can do that, then who knows what can happen.
“But, look, I just want to keep playing the way I have been the last two or three weeks. I feel really good out there.”
While Popyrin is dreaming big, compatriot Rinky Hijikata was dealt a grand slam reality check on day three.
Hijikata was no match for Grigor Dimitrov, suffering a 6-1 6-1 7-6 (7-4) lesson at the hands of the Bulgarian ninth seed to bow out in round two.
Former women’s quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic and 18-year-old qualifier Maya Joint were also eliminated.
Tomljanovic lost her second-round match 6-3 6-2 to Belgian 33rd seed Elise Mertens, while Joint’s breakout grand slam run came to a halt with a 6-4 6-0 loss to 2017 runner-up Madison Keys, this year’s 14th seed.
With 10 players making the second round, Australia’s bumper 20-strong contingent had made their brightest start to the Open in 45 years.
The men, in particular, have been on fire, with eight Australians winning their opening matches for the first time since 1976 – almost half a century ago.
With Popyrin making the last 32 and another six trying to on day four, including 10th-seeded spearhead Alex de Minaur, Australia could have the most players into the fourth round in the 56-year era of professional tennis.
HOW THE AUSSIES FARED ON DAY THREE OF THE US OPEN AT FLUSHING MEADOWS:
Men’s singles, second round
28-Alexei Popyrin bt Pedro Martinez (ESP) 6-2 6-4 6-0
Rinky Hijikata lost to Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 6-1 6-1 7-6 (7-4)
Women’s singles, second round
Maya Joint lost to 14-Madison Keys (USA) 6-4 6-0
Ajla Tomljanovic lost to 33-Elise Mertens (BEL) 6-3 6-2
