Two days after a thrilling five-setter in the second round, Alexei Popyrin faces a daunting match against seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
The Australian twice overcame deficits in round two's success over Tomas Martin Etcheverry to set up a third meeting with the Serbian No. 2 seed, who needed four sets last time out to eliminate British Wild Card Jacob Fearnley.
Match preview
© Reuters
After a four-set tournament-opening win over Thiago Monteiro, Popyrin overcame adversity in his second-round match to get the better of Etcheverry 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
The Australian demonstrated his battling qualities to fight back after losing the first and third sets to notch a much-needed triumph that takes him into a third match at Wimbledon for only the second time.
Popyrin had failed to advance past the first round in three consecutive years heading into the 2024 tournament, unable to match reaching the second round in 2019.
That is now far behind him, and he aims to significantly outdo his previous best by making a first-ever Grand Slam fourth-round match.
To achieve that, the 24-year-old must defeat the seven-time winner for the first time, and he may have a chance given the Serbian's far-from-convincing victory last time out.
If Djokovic demonstrated why he is uninhibited despite a recent knee surgery in his tournament opener against Vit Kopriva, his showing in round two against Wimbledon debutant Fearnley triggered the opposite feeling.
The Briton caused the 24-time Grand Slam champion problems with his serve and aggressive ball striking, forcing a host of unreturned balls and reeling off winners in the previous round.
However, Djokovic found a way as he is wont to do, notching a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 victory to take him into an 18th third-round match at the Championships, moving level with Roger Federer.
The superstar seeks to advance into the fourth round against a player who has hitherto never defeated him on the ATP Tour, and he aims to keep that going on Saturday.
Having sown seeds of doubt with his second-round performance, the No. 2 seed seeks to restore much-needed confidence that he is in fine fettle.
Tournament so far
Alexei Popyrin:
First round: vs. Thiago Monteiro 6-4 6-7[8] 6-3 6-4
Second round: vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3
Novak Djokovic:
First round: vs. Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-2 6-2
Second round: vs. Jacob Fearnley 6-3 6-4 5-7 7-5
Head To Head
Tokyo (2019) - Round of 32: Djokovic 6-4 6-2
Australian Open (2024) - Round of 64: Djokovic 6-3 4-6 7-6(4) 6-3
Both players face off on grass for the first time following their two previous encounters on hard courts.
The pair's first meeting was at an ATP 500 event in Tokyo in 2019, claimed in straight sets by the Serbian.
While Popyrin got one set in this year's Australian Open match-up, he could not prevent a similar outcome, falling in four in their second-round meeting Down Under.
We say: Djokovic to win in four sets
Whatever Djokovic achieves on Saturday depends on the version that turns up: will we get the free-flowing seven-time champion who seemed unaffected by recent knee surgery in his tournament opener or the player who was uncomfortable against a Wimbledon debutant in round two?
The uncertainty means we will back Popyrin to edge out his illustrious opponent in one set, but the Serb should get the job done in four.
