Novak Djokovic crashes out of US Open after playing ‘some of the worst tennis’
The IndependentSign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Novak Djokovic said he “played some of the worst tennis I have ever played” after he followed Carlos Alcaraz in crashing out of the US Open. open image in gallery Alexei Popyrin won the biggest match of his life against the 24-time grand slam winner “I mean, on my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. “I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever.” He continued: “If you play on a quick surface like this without the serve, without ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can’t win. open image in gallery Alexei Popyrin enjoyed the best win of his career There was also a nice bit of symmetry about his victory as it inflicted Djokovic’s earliest US Open defeat since 2007 when he lost to Lleyton Hewitt, who was sat in Popyrin’s box.