Alexei Popyrin Sets Up Second-Round Clash with Novak Djokovic at Australian Open 2024

Alexei Popyrin‘s draw at Australian Open 2024 has pitted him against a challenging opponent in the second round. After a hard-fought victory against his fellow Australian and former doubles partner Marc Polmans in the first round, Popyrin is now set to face the world’s number one tennis player, Novak Djokovic.

This will be the second meeting between Popyrin and Djokovic, with their first encounter taking place at an ATP tournament in Tokyo back in 2019. Popyrin expressed his excitement about playing against the Serbian superstar, mentioning that he has been watching Djokovic play since he was a kid and that he has improved since their last match.

With an impressive performance in the first round, Popyrin gained valuable momentum for his upcoming match. He outplayed Polmans, firing 56 winners compared to Polmans’ 22 and not losing a single service game throughout the two-hour and 28-minute contest. This win also marks a halt to Popyrin’s four-match losing streak at the Grand Slam level, showcasing his potential to perform at the highest stage.

Reflecting on his victory, Popyrin mentioned the difficulty of playing against a fellow Aussie and acknowledged Polmans’ strong performance. He predicted that if Polmans maintains this level of play, he will soon break into the top 100 rankings.

In another Australian success story, Storm Hunter became the first Australian woman to advance to the second round at the Australian Open 2024. The 29-year-old’s exceptional performance against Sara Errani enabled her to secure a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

The Australian Open action continues with several other Australian players taking the court in the first and second rounds. Among them are Alex de Minaur, Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Rinky Hijikata, James Duckworth, James McCabe, and Omar Jasika in the men’s singles. As for the women’s singles, Kimberly Birrell, Olivia Gadecki, Daria Saville, and Ajla Tomljanovic will be battling it out in their respective matches.

The match to watch out for is undoubtedly Popyrin’s second-round encounter with Djokovic, as the Australian aims to showcase his improvement and challenge the world’s best player. Tennis fans can expect an exciting clash between these two talented athletes as the Australian Open 2024 continues to unfold.