Novak Djokovic suffered a major upset at the hands of Alexei Popyrin with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 beating in the third round of the US Open on Friday to end the Serbian's bid for a 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic, who had to dig deep to win the Olympic gold medal in Paris this month, looked sluggish against the energized Australian, who notched the biggest win of his career.
"I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically," Djokovic told reporters.
"But because it's US Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas and you could see that with the way I played."
Popyrin, who lost to Djokovic at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, raised his arms in triumph and beamed a wide smile after knocking out the tournament's defending champion to reach the round of 16 of a major for the first time.
"Third time lucky I guess," Popyrin said in an on-court interview.
"No, honestly we had some battles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. I had my chances in those matches but didn't take them. This match was a little bit different, I was able to take my chances when I had them and played some good tennis."
Djokovic had five break point chances in the opener but failed to convert any of them, while Popyrin broke serve on his first opportunity for a 5-4 lead en route to grabbing the first set.
Popyrin broke again in the second when Djokovic's volley landed wide for a 3-2 advantage and took control of the match with a perfectly executed serve and volley to capture the second set.
Djokovic showed some life in the third, when the second seed broke serve with a forehand that Popyrin could not handle and took the set to claw his way back into the match.
But the comeback proved short-lived, with Popyrin letting out a mighty roar when he crushed a ferocious forehand winner for a break of serve and 3-2 lead in the fourth. He completed the upset when Djokovic's forehand sailed long on match point.
The veteran Djokovic was uncharacteristically sloppy in the contest, issuing 14 double faults, a record for him in a Grand Slam match, while his 25-year-old opponent smacked 50 winners.
"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," Djokovic said.
"It was just an awful match for me."
The loss means Djokovic will end this season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017.
The upset on Arthur Ashe Stadium came one night after third seed and tournament favorite Carlos Alcaraz, who finished runner up to Djokovic at the Paris Games, was stunned in straight sets by unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Next up for Popyrin is a fourth-round meeting with American Frances Tiafoe.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
