By Marc McGowan
Ascending Australian star Alexei Popyrin believes maximising his chances will be the key to toppling tennis legend Novak Djokovic in their third grand slam showdown this year at the US Open.
Popyrin’s 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 defeat of Spain’s Pedro Martinez was not always as straightforward as the scoreline suggests, with the No.28 seed having to rally from a break down in both the first two sets of their second-round clash, but he never looked in any danger.
Popyrin pounded 13 aces and 36 winners overall to Martinez’s five, and abused his rival’s second serve, with the 43rd-ranked Spaniard winning only a quarter of those points, including just one of his first 16.
However, he will need to steer clear of the serving lapses he had against Martinez if he is to notch his maiden win against Djokovic, who advanced when fellow Serb Laslo Djere retired while trailing 6-4, 6-4, 2-0.
Popyrin was Australia’s last chance to avoid a wipeout on the tournament’s third day after Rinky Hijikata, Ajla Tomljanovic and 18-year-old qualifier Maya Joint lost their second-round matches as the temperature soared beyond 30 degrees.
Popyrin, who stormed into the world’s top 30 for the first time after his Montreal Masters triumph a fortnight ago, took a set off Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon, and has the arsenal to trouble, at minimum, the former world No.1.
Alexei Popyrin dispatched Spaniard Pedro Martinez in straight sets to make the US Open’s third round.Credit: AP
“I had chances in both matches, and it’s just a matter of taking those chances and playing good on the big points. That’s what he did,” Popyrin said of Djokovic.
Djokovic has noticed Popyrin’s improvement this year on his backhand, and with his movement, which is a significant development, given how damaging his serve and forehand are.
“He keeps on getting closer and closer, [and] knocking on that door,” Djokovic said.
“He’s a really good player … he’s much better defending, and he’s more consistent. He doesn’t make as many errors as he used to, so just overall, great improvement from his side. He’s pumped, he’s confident, and he’s been playing some great tennis, so no reason for him not to believe he can’t put up a great performance.
“He’s going to go for the win – I know that.”
The focus now switches to Australia’s top player, Alex de Minaur, who conceded he had not fully recovered from the cartilage tear he suffered in his right hip at Wimbledon, but was desperate to qualify for the end-of-year ATP Finals in Turin for the first time.
There is some chance he may not play his second-round match against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.
It was obvious in de Minaur’s sluggish four-set first-round victory over American Marcos Giron that he was unable to move as he usually does.
“It’s super hard. I mean, for me, the actual concept of not trying to retrieve every single ball that’s out there on the court is tough,” de Minaur said.
“I’m learning to deal with it, play with it, have low expectations, and just be mindful of it because [the injury is] still there. The goal, obviously, is [making] Turin, and missing a lot of weeks on the tour, a lot of big tournaments, is very detrimental to your chances.”
Half the country’s 20-strong main draw contingent reached the US Open’s second round, the best start since 11 made it through 45 years ago. Eight of those were men, matching Australia’s effort from the 1976 event.
Popyrin sprayed a forehand wide to concede a break in the third game of the match, but nonchalantly responded by breaking Martinez three times in a row to breeze to a one-set advantage.
The Australian threw in another uncharacteristic service game to kick off the second set, starting with consecutive double faults, then a third, on his way to dropping serve again.
Martinez, whose muted game mostly failed to penetrate Popyrin’s defences, held on to his lead a bit longer this time, but was in jeopardy any time he missed a first serve.
That happened far too often in the sixth game of the set, with Popyrin capitalising to get back on level terms, only to play another loose service game and fall behind once more.
It proved the last game Popyrin dropped as he reeled off the final nine of the contest to seal his passage to the third round in emphatic fashion inside two hours.
Rinky Hijikata was no match for Grigor Dimitrov in New York.Credit: Getty Images
Hijikata, who made a surprise run to the last 16 a year ago, struggled from the outset against ninth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who breezed to a 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) win over the Sydneysider.
Dimitrov flayed 36 winners to Hijikata’s 17, and did not concede a break until a hiccup while leading 4-2 in the third set before sealing victory in a tiebreak on his sixth match point.
Hijikata arrived fresh from reaching the Winston-Salem quarter-finals and at a career-high ranking of No.62, but was no match for his experienced rival.
Tomljanovic, who upset Serena Williams on the way to making the US Open quarter-finals two years ago, never found her footing in a 6-3, 6-2 thrashing at the hands of No.33 seed Elise Mertens.
Ajla Tomljanovic’s US Open ended in the second round to Elise Mertens.Credit: Getty Images
Mertens made her move in the seventh game after both players held serve until then.
The Belgian built pressure with an inside-out backhand winner before Tomljanovic’s risky down-the-line backhand narrowly missed to bring up double break point.
A double fault – one of the Australian’s 10 for the match – handed Mertens the break, and she never looked back.
American-born Joint, who switched allegiances to her Melbourne-raised father Michael’s birthplace last year, won three qualifying matches then upset German Laura Siegemund to earn an Arthur Ashe Stadium shot at Madison Keys.
Maya Joint’s breakthrough US Open ended in the second round, but she is set for a big rankings climb.Credit: Getty Images
She gave a good account of herself, particularly in the first set, before 2017 finalist Keys’ heavy groundstrokes began to take a toll in a 6-4, 6-0 defeat in one hour and two minutes.
“It was a great experience, [and] something I’ve always dreamed about when I was a little kid to play on Arthur Ashe,” Joint said.
“It was incredible, and I hope I can do it again. I think I got a confidence boost [from the past week] and it shows me that I’m at that level. She [Keys] definitely hit the ball very hard. Her forehand is scary, but it was a really fun match.”
The teenage rising star’s backhand, in particular, held up against the 14th-seeded American, and she won more than 80 per cent of first-serve points in the opening set – but Keys punished Joint’s second serve.
Joint’s breakthrough performance at her maiden grand slam could see her jump as many as 27 spots to a career-high ranking of No.108. She still plans to start a psychology degree and play tennis at the University of Texas after the US Open, but is on track to earn direct entry into next year’s Australian Open.
In other results, Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková suffered a shock 6-4, 7-5 loss to 122nd-ranked Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
The other seeds to fall were Argentine Sebastien Baez, who retired with a foot injury while trailing Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 2-0, and Russia’s Daria Kasatkina in a 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) loss to local hope Peyton Stearns.
De Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas’ conqueror Thanasi Kokkinakis, Jordan Thompson, Chris O’Connell, wildcard Tristan Schoolkate and Max Purcell will play their second-round matches on Friday (AEST). – with AAP
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