Everything that happened on Day 5 of the US Open, including surprise Djokovic elimination (2024)

• Gauff (3) into last 16 after comeback win (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) against Svitolina (26)
• American Tiafoe (20) survives in five sets 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 against Shelton (13)
• Djokovic (2) falls in four sets 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 against Popyrin (28)
• Sabalenka (2) beats Alexandrova (29) after losing first set, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
• Contact us at our email: livebloguk@theathletic.com

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Belarusian No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka dropped the first set to Ekaterina Alexandrova, but she wasn't about to join the upset trend in New York.

Sabalenka wins 2-6. 6-1, 6-2, after she and the Russian No. 29 seed started their match at eight minutes past midnight. That is the latest start in tournament history, in the first year that the U.S. Open has introduced a discretionary policy on moving matches onto new courts to avoid them beginning at inhospitable hours.

After losing the first set 6-2, Aryna Sabalenka rallied to win the second set in dominant fashion 6-1 against Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Sabalenka won 80 percent of her first-serve points and only recorded three unforced errors.

To a third set we go with a spot in the round of 16 on the line.

For the first time in the match, Aryna Sabalenka breaks Ekaterina Alexandrova's serve.

Sabalenka is limiting the unforced errors, which is leading to more opportunities to connect with her powerful groundstrokes.

Sabalenka leads 3-1 in the second set.

In just 33 minutes, Ekaterina Alexandrova is up a set 6-2 against Aryna Sabalenka.

Alexandrova won 76 percent of her first serve points and tallied 10 winners to just seven unforced errors.

Sabalenka left the court visibly upset.

Not a good start for the world No. 2, who will need to go into the early hours of the morning to come back and win.

Aryna Sabalenka and Ekaterina Alexandrova already made history as the latest starting match at the U.S. Open.

Now Alexandrova leads 4-2 against the No. 2. seed.

Is another huge upset potentially brewing on Ashe?

Novak Djokovic spoke to the media after his third-round exit thanks to Alexei Popyrin.

He congratulated Popyrin on the win but said that making the third round of the U.S. Open was "a success" given his form coming into the tournament.

"I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever," Djokovic said. "If you play on a quick surface like this without the serve, without the ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can't win."

Djokovic admitted that winning the Olympic gold medal and the emotions that came with that had an effect on his preparation for the U.S. Open.

"I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically," Djokovic said. "But because it's the U.S. Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I mean, I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas and you could see that with the way I played."

It's been awhile since Novak Djokovic hasn't reached the second week of a grand slam.

The last time it happened was the 2017 Australian Open.

Djokovic lost to Denis Istomin in five sets.

NEW YORK — On the fifth day, the king of tennis left the building.

Twenty-four hours after Carlos Alcaraz got booted from the U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic, the defending champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner, followed him out the door. The big-serving and suddenly lethal Australian, Alexei Popyrin, put him into the scrap pile of men’s seeds at this year’s tournament, winning 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

While the No. 1 seed, Jannik Sinner, is still standing, these two results in two nights have blown up the U.S. Open. Grand Slam near-misses, like Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev, and a cast of home dreamers desperate to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam since 2003, are suddenly alive.

Djokovic’s loss was both perfectly explainable and altogether stunning, all at once.

He is 37, two-and-a-half months removed from knee surgery. A month ago, he recorded perhaps the most emotional triumph of his career, a jaw-dropping win over Alcaraz to capture Olympic gold, the one major tennis prize that had eluded him.

Novak Djokovic knew he would win Olympic gold - he just didn't know when

He played that tournament on clay. He didn’t play a match on a hard court until his first win at this year’s tournament in New York, Monday night over Moldovan Radu Albot. The win at the Olympics — his first title of the year — rejuvenated him, but he still said that he had completed everything he wanted in his career.

As a tennis player, he was complete.

Read more on Popyrin's victory here.

The upset is complete.

Alexei Popyrin takes down Novak Djokovic in four sets 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at the U.S. Open.

The night after Carlos Alcaraz loses to Botic van de Zandschulp.

What a moment for Popyrin, who reaches his first slam round of 16.

It's the first time that Djokovic hasn't won a slam in a calendar year since 2017.

Another intense hold from Novak Djokovic, who brings this set to 5-4.

Alexei Popyrin will once again serve for the match.

For the biggest win of his career.

Djokovic is so hard to close out against.

The Aussie will try to accomplish that feat in the next game.

Down a double break, Novak Djokovic still is fighting.

He breaks Popyrin to stay alive in the match.

Popyrin leads 5-3 in the fourth set.

Novak Djokovic had several chances to hold serve but couldn't.

His forehand sails long, giving Popyrin the double break advantage.

The Australian will serve for the match up 5-2 in the fourth set.

Wow.

After finding a way to break Novak Djokovic in a wild game, Alexei Popyrin immediately felt pressure on his serve.

Facing two break points, Popyrin staved them off, continuing to come up with big shots.

He held serve to take a 4-2 lead, two games from taking out the 24-time slam champion.

Wow. That was the game of the match so far.

Both players hitting big shots. Getting the crowd pumped up.

Alexei Popyrin had several break points. Novak Djokovic came up with clutch serves.

Even Popyrin was asking his box how Djokovic was painting the lines on his serves.

But finally, on yet another break point for Popyrin, he delivered a massive, blazing cross court forehand winner.

As he hit the shot, he let out a huge roar.

Popyrin secured the break to go up 3-2 at what feels like a critical juncture of the match.

Novak Djokovic is back in this match.

He takes the third set 6-2 against Alexei Popyrin.

The Popyrin errors caught up with the Australian in the third set, recording 18 unforced.

Popyrin will need to turn things around quickly.

Djokovic's found another gear and has the crowd on his side.

A shaky service game for Alexei Popyrin as he attempted to consolidate the break.

A couple of double faults, along with some unforced errors, propelled Djokovic to get the break back.

Djokovic leads 4-2, two games from taking this third set.

And gets the crowd pumped up before the next game.

It looked like Novak Djokovic was going to run away with the third set.

Down 3-0, Popyrin won a lengthy rally that was one of the points of the match.

Then at 1-3, a couple Djokovic unforced errors led to Popyrin getting the break back.

The Australian is back in this set and showing a lot of resolve.

Yes, Alexei Popyrin has given Novak Djokovic trouble, tonight and in recent months. But he's also lost both those previous matches from decent positions. Scar tissue is rough and thick, and it's in full view right now as Djokovic races into a 3-0 lead.

But then, at 15-30 on Popyrin's serve, the set slipping away, a magical point. One high Djokovic lob draws a weak overhead. Popyrin resets. Another great lob is hammered into the ad-court corner from deep with a stunning overhead. An ace, and 3-1 Djokovic.

Perhaps Popyrin can come alive again, for just long enough.

Here comes Novak Djokovic.

A loose service game from Alexei Popyrin, coupled with some unforced errors, leads to Djokovic getting the break.

Djokovic pumps his fist and yells to his box.

Has the comeback begun?