Alexei Popyrin’s breakthrough summer in North America is at an end after the rising Australian star fell to Frances Tiafoe in a testing four set encounter in the 4th Rd of the US Open on Sunday night in New York.
The 25-year-old will lament his inability to seize the second set from a dominant position but, despite falling 6-4 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-3, demonstrated considerable promise once again.
Pitted against an American favourite carrying the vast majority of support in Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Sydneysider proved unable to follow-up his dazzling defeat of Novak Djokovic.
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Tiafoe, with a crowd of 24,000 fans heavily behind him, was able to produce some moments of magic at critical times and later said the stage brought out the best tennis in him.
“I always dreamt of playing on this court as a kid,” he said.
“Seeing the Williams sisters win titles here, seeing Roger win countless times, I just wanted to play on this court (and) it brings out the best in me.”
But Popyrin’s defeat was caused by a lack of competitiveness nor opportunity.
Instead only an occasional dip in concentration at key moments in the three sets clinched by Tiafoe cost him.
The most costly occurred when, after leading the second set 5-2, he held a 40-0 lead in the following service game, only to concede five straight points, four of them through errors.
In a match where very little separated the pair, it proved the most critical game in the match.
“I was (thinking), ‘I am pretty sweaty. I am sweating in my shoes. I am going to try to win this thing in four’” Tiafoe said.
“I got pretty lucky there, honestly.”
Seeking to make his second US Open semifinal after a stirring run two years ago, Tiafoe progresses to play Bulgarian veteran Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“He is so talented. He is playing great in the later stages of his career and has found his great form again. But I am going to make him fight for it,” he said.
Popyrin, having played so superbly to win the Montreal Masters and then defeat 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic on the world’s biggest stadium court, leaves New York beaten.
But this US Open is a step forward in his career, for it is the first time he has reached the second week of a grand slam, and he will also move to career-high ranking in the low 20s.
SET 4
The early stages of the fourth set were tight as Popyrin worked to maintain the momentum and Tiafoe tried to stop the bleeding on his serve, which was increasingly under pressure.
At 1-all, the Australian erred when opting for a drop shot at 15-30 on the American’s serve, which allowed his rival to whip a forehand winner and ease the pressure in the game.
After a lull in energy, the American raised his game as well and was increasingly willing to attack as he tried to reach the last eight of his home grand slam.
A case in point was the sublime service game he played to move ahead 3-2, with the 2022 US Open semifinalist clubbing winners, angling drop shots and punching volleys away.
The alarm bells were ringing immediately in the next game when, after a superb point, the American was able to chase down a Popyrin drop volley and knife a backhand winner.
On the next point, the Australian double-faulted to drop behind 0-30, and when he overhit a forehand for the first time in extended period, Tiafoe held two break points for a 4-2 lead.
Popyrin saved the first with an ace but then double-faulted for the second time in the game to hand his friend the critical advantage in the set.
In a dramatic conclusion to the match, the American star was able to bring up two match points with some brilliant work at the net when serving at 5-3, only for Popyrin to rally again.
The Australian managed to bring up a point to break back and showed immense court coverage to get to a position to strike a passing shot, only for it to hit the top of the net.
As is so often the case, tennis matches are decided by a matter of inches and points, and in front of a home crowd bellowing in support for him, this time the margins favoured Tiafoe.
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THIRD SET
Alexei Popyrin has kept alive his hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of a grand slam for the first time by seizing the third set in his clash with Frances Tiafoe at the US Open.
But the Australian still has a significant challenge ahead as he seeks to make a comeback from a two set deficit against the American star, who leads 6-4 7-6 (3) 2-6.
Popyrin pushed immediately to put the deflating experience of dropping a second set where he did everything bar win it by breaking Tiafoe with a superb effort in the third game.
A forehand that dipped at his rival’s feet on the second point was a ripper, while a backhand winner that whizzed by the No.20 seed on the next even better. On breaking Tiafoe, Popyrin turned to his box and roared in defiance while bouncing on his feet.
An initial bid to secure a second break – effectively an ‘insurance’ break – fell short when the American star rose to the occasion from 0-40 when trailing 1-3 to keep the set tight. After holding serve with five points in succession, the 26-year-old Tiafoe bellowed; “Let’s go.”
But after letting the second set slip, this time Popyrin kept his foot on the accelerator by securing a second break in the set when clubbing a backhand return winner to move to 5-2.
It is indisputable that the Australian raised his game in the third set, which is impressive given the disappointment that occurred in the latter stages of the second set.
But there were also signs that Tiafoe, who had progressed to the last 16 courtesy of a highly-physical five set win over last year’s semi-finalist Ben Shelton, hit a flat spot. The Rd of 16 clash has now been going for 2hr 21min.
SECOND SET
Alexei Popyrin has squandered a golden opportunity to level his US Open Rd of 16 clash with American favourite Frances Tiafoe and now faces a massive task to prevail.
After dropping the first set 6-4, the Australian held three set points to level when serving at 5-3 in the second set but failed to convert as Tiafoe roared back to clinch a tiebreaker.
The No.20 seed now leads 6-4 7-6 (3) in the 4th Rd match underway at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Not only is it an opportunity gone begging for the Aussie, the partisan crowd in attendance is now roaring for Tiafoe, a Washington D.C. raised star who is a fan favourite in America.
From dominating on serve for a period and finally finding his range from the baseline, Popyrin faltered in both aspects of his game late as his bid to make a maiden grand slam quarterfinal became far more difficult.
Popyrin said when pressed late in his four set win over Djokvic on Friday night that he starting cursing at himself in order to try to fire himself up to finish the legend off.
As the level of the match increased early in the second set, with a screaming backhand winner from Tiafoe in the third game an example, Popyrin could be heard urging himself on.
It was a testing period for the Australian as his inspired rival started clubbing winners.
Facing a break point at 1-all, Popyrin was able to see off the initial challenge with a serve directed to his rival’s body. On eventually holding, he roared towards his box in defiance.
A full set after an initial challenge to the Tiafoe serve, another opportunity presented for Popyrin when, after a couple of early errors, he finally found his range from the baseline.
Trailing 30-0 in the game, the 25-year-old played four superb points in a row, mixing winners with superb court craft, drop shots with lobs, strong defence with a swift transition to attack.
The point to clinch the break was an illustration, with Popyrin’s touch coming to the fore as he executed a drop shot that brought his rival to the net before punching a volley past him.
The Sydneysider did everything bar securing the set when moving to a 40-0 lead when serving at 5-3, only to allow his rival a massive reprieve.
After a couple of mistakes during rallies, Tiafoe saved a third set point when rifling a backhand return for a winner down the line before Popyrin double-faulted on break point.
Popyrin started the tiebreaker poorly with a double-fault – his third for the set – and then overhit a forehand when in a good position to strike on the second point.
When Tiafoe ripped a crosscourt forehand passing shot on the next point, the crowd rose to their feet in celebration as the local favourite moved to a strong position in the tiebreaker.
After Popyrin double-faulted for the second time in the tiebreaker to trail 3-6, it was Tiafoe who held three set points. And he made no mistake when rifling an ace past the Aussie.
FIRST SET
The Australian served brilliantly for much of the set, striking eight aces, but paid the price for being errant from his forehand wing, both when holding and facing break points in the set.
The No.28 seed has been far more aggressive than his rival, who reached the semifinals in New York two years ago, but the riskier strategy has seen him err far more than his rival.
In a match where the serve is likely to dominate, the Australian will need to tighten his game to progress further following his stunning upset of Novak Djokovic two nights ago.
Popyrin wore headphones on to the court when introduced and that may well have been a wise move initially to drown out the first sign of the support for the local hopeful.
While the Aussie received warm applause, the ovation for Tiafoe was deafening even with the 24,000 seat stadium still to fill to capacity. And there was a roar when he broke serve to move into the ascendancy deep in the opening set.
Tiafoe won the coin toss but opted to return, clearly hoping the Australian might feel some nerves on his return to the court where he defeated Novak Djokovic two nights ago.
Popyrin was not affected, at least initially, when whizzing through his opening service game in less than one minute, clinched in part by two aces down to the T to the advantage court.
In an impressive start on serve, the first four points the No.28 seed played to the deuce court were aces, with the Aussie adding another couple in his second service game.
An off-backhand winner on return on the opening point of Tiafoe’s second service game continued the promising start for Popyrin brought up the first break points of the Rd of 16 match.
But he was unable to convert the opportunity, with an aggressive forehand clipping the net cord and bouncing out on one of the two chances he opened up.
The pattern of the match contrasted to his victory over Djokovic, which is scarcely surprising given the Serbian’s status as arguably the best return of serve tennis has seen.
The American relies more on his forehand and power than his return and had converted only one in three of his break point opportunities leading into the 4th Rd match, while Popyrin’s conversion rate sat at 53 percent for the tournament.
It was a rarity when the rallies were drawn out, which is not a surprise given the strengths of both players.
A couple of double faults in succession allowed Tiafoe into a Popyrin service game at 3-all, but the three-time ATP Tour title winner whipped a forehand winner to ease the pressure.
But when serving at 4-all a couple of forehand errors – one overhit on the second point and another when trying to find the sideline on the fifth – gave the American his first opportunity to break and when the Australian struck another forehand long, Tiafoe seized the lead.
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