Alexei Popyrin will be left to wonder what might have been after his US Open campaign ended with defeat to American Frances Tiafoe.
Fresh off his stunning win over Novak Djokovic, Popyrin’s normally reliable serve deserted him on big moments as Tiafoe won 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 in a three-hour classic.
After dropping the first set, the Aussie had three set points on his own serve at 5-3, 40-0, but he failed to convert all three before giving up the break with a double fault.
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He also hit two double faults in the tiebreaker to hand the American a two-set advantage.
Popyrin hit back to take the third set, but lost his serve early in the fourth with another two double faults to lose momentum.
The Aussie saved two match points when Tiafoe served for the match before missing an easy forehand that would have got the set back on serve.
Tiafoe then sealed the match with a cracking forehand winner.
Popyrin had entered the most significant match of his life having claimed six top-20 scalps in his previous eight outings, with none bigger than that of 24-times major winner and defending champion Djokovic.
But the Montreal Masters champion was unable to conjure the magic of 48 hours earlier as the partisan crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium, cheering seemingly every Tiafoe winner and Popyrin error, willed the home hope to a rousing victory.
It leaves Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson to fly the flag in the men’s singles with the Aussie pair to square off on Tuesday morning (AEST).
A semi-finalist in 2022 and quarter-finalist last year, Tiafoe will face Bulgarian ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the last eight this time around.
– With AAP