Better of 2024
Van de Zandschulp, Cazaux shocks amongst largest Grand Slam upsets of 2024
Comesana, Popyrin, Mpetshi Perricard additionally characteristic
December 03, 2024
Luke Hales/Getty Pictures
Botic van de Zandschulp defeats Carlos Alcaraz on the 2024 US Open.
By Andy West
Ousting a prime participant is one factor, however doing it in a five-set match is one thing else.
There have been loads of shock outcomes at Grand Slam occasions in 2024, when a bunch of gamers notched assertion wins on a few of the largest levels in tennis.
As a part of our annual season-in-review sequence, ATPTour.com counts down the 5 most surprising upsets of the yr on the majors. Take a look at our largest ATP Tour upsets of 2024 right here.
5) Wimbledon R1: Mpetshi Perricard d. Korda 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 7-6(6), 6-3
Sebastian Korda’s red-hot mid-year type suffered a shock blip when confronted with a big-serving barrage from Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
The Twentieth-seeded Korda arrived at Wimbledon recent from a closing run in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and a semi-final look at Queen’s Membership, however a robust show from SW19 debutant Mpetshi Perricard ended the American’s grass-court season. The 20-year-old fortunate loser, who started 2024 outdoors the High 200 however was competing in opposition to Korda because the World No. 58, fired 51 aces on Courtroom 16 to notch an announcement triumph.
The standard of Mpetshi Perricard’s first main-draw win at a significant was solely underlined additional when Korda lifted his maiden ATP 500 title at his very subsequent occasion, the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, earlier than reaching his second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final in Montreal.
In distinction, Mpetshi Perricard struggled to right away again up his run at Wimbledon, the place he went on to achieve the fourth spherical. The Frenchman gained simply two matches throughout eight tournaments after the grass-court main, however he then bounced again spectacularly by charging to an ATP 500 crown of his personal in Basel. Mpetshi Perricard completed the 2024 season at No. 30 within the PIF ATP Rankings.
4) US Open R3: Popyrin d Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
Alexei Popyrin had three makes an attempt at upsetting record-24-time main champion Novak Djokovic on the Grand Slam stage in 2024. After falling to the Serbian in 4 units at each the Australian Open and Wimbledon, Popyrin unleashed his model of ‘big-man tennis’ to spectacular impact to sink Djokovic within the third spherical on the US Open.
Popyrin, enjoying with confidence after profitable his maiden Masters 1000 title in Montreal earlier in August, hit 50 winners previous the World No. 2 Djokovic. With loads of energy in his sport on serve and off the bottom, Popyrin inflicting his illustrious opponent issues might not have come as an enormous shock. But the important thing to the largest win of his profession by PIF ATP Rating was the consistency he discovered throughout the three units he gained.
“Third time fortunate [this year] I assume,” stated Popyrin, who went on to push eventual finalist Taylor Fritz to 4 units within the fourth spherical. “Truthfully, we had some battles on the Australian Open and Wimbledon. I had my probabilities in these matches, however didn’t take them. This match was just a little completely different. I used to be capable of take my probabilities after I had them and performed some good tennis.”
Alexei Popyrin” fashion=”width: 100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/08/31/03/40/popyrin-us-open-2024-friday-roar.jpg”>
Alexei Popyrin celebrates after upsetting Novak Djokovic within the third spherical on the US Open. Picture Credit score: AFP/Getty Pictures
3) Wimbledon R1: Comesana d Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(5)
Francisco Comesana gave a lesson in attending to grips rapidly with grass in July at Wimbledon.
The Argentine arrived in the UK in June having by no means performed a match on the floor at any stage, neither as knowledgeable nor as a junior. He misplaced his first outing on the lawns of Eastbourne in an ATP 250 qualifying match, earlier than being introduced with the duty of taking over Andrey Rublev, the World No. 6 and 2023 Wimbledon quarter-finalist, in his opening spherical at SW19.
Regardless of his nearly full lack of grass-court expertise, the World No. 122 Comesana rose to the event in fashion to stun Rublev with memorable four-set victory. It was the primary tour-level win of the 23-year-old’s profession, one he backed up by beating Adam Walton within the second spherical earlier than falling to eventual semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti.
“My household is in Argentina now and I’ve spoken with them and my girlfriend, who may be very excited,” Comesana informed ATPTour.com after defeating Rublev. “My cellphone will break with all of the messages I’m receiving! It’s wonderful. I simply loved each second of the match. I attempted to benefit from the event, the group. It was my first time enjoying on a courtroom that massive. I’m having fun with this second, and I’m having fun with enjoying on grass. I’m very completely satisfied.”
Francisco Comesana” fashion=”width: 100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/07/03/11/36/comesana-wimbledon-2024-feature.jpg”>
Francisco Comesana celebrates his win in opposition to Andrey Rublev. Picture Credit score: Henry Nicholls/AFP through Getty Pictures
2) Australian Open R2: Cazaux d Rune 7-6(4), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Typically the journey is extra vital than the tip consequence.
Arthur Cazaux’s upset of eighth seed Holger Rune within the Australian Open second spherical was definitely a shock: The 21-year-old Frenchman, competing as a wild card, was chasing simply his third tour-level win. But it was the way in which that Cazaux dismantled Rune inside Margaret Courtroom Area that significantly caught the attention.
The World No. 122 mixed clear baseline hitting and artful slice play with some scintillating courtroom protection to overwhelm Rune and full the largest win of his profession. After sealing victory with a cultured backhand cross, it didn’t take lengthy for the enraptured crowd to be taught simply how extremely Cazaux valued his position as an entertainer.
“It’s a present. The tennis is a present,” stated Cazaux when requested about his sport fashion in his on-court interview, earlier than turning to the group. “I gave all I’ve in me, and I hope you loved the present. We now have the most effective crowd in France, however the Aussie crowd is loopy.”
Large slayer ⚔️
On his @AustralianOpen debut, Arthur Cazaux knocks out No. 8 seed Holger Rune to advance to the third spherical.#AusOpenpic.twitter.com/2Osj5q17ID
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 18, 2024
1) US Open R2: Van de Zandschulp d Alcaraz 6-1, 7-5, 6-4
A tricky 2024 for Botic van de Zandschulp sparked into life in spectacular trend on a memorable Thursday night time on the US Open.
The Dutchman entered the hard-court main with an 11-18 tour-level report for the season. After defeating Denis Shapovalov within the first spherical in New York, Van de Zandschulp stepped on courtroom for his second-round conflict with World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz aiming to win back-to-back tour-level matches for the primary time in over 9 months.
But Van de Zandschulp appeared to have little bother placing his struggles for wins behind him inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, the place he produced a rock-solid show filled with expertly managed aggression from the baseline. Alcaraz had not misplaced a set in his two earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes with Van de Zandschulp, however the Spaniard had no reply to the way in which his opponent disrupted his rhythm all through the encounter.
“I am just a little bit misplaced for phrases. It has been an unbelievable night, the primary night time session for me on Arthur Ashe. The group was wonderful,” stated Van de Zandschulp, whose straight-sets win was the largest of his profession by PIF ATP Rating. “I acquired a whole lot of confidence from my final match [against Shapovalov]. I performed actually stable and from level one tonight, I believed I may have an opportunity, and also you see the way it typically seems.”
Carlos Alcaraz/Botic van de Zandschulp” fashion=”width: 100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2024/12/03/01/08/alcaraz-van-de-zandschulp-us-open-2024-handshake.jpg”>
Carlos Alcaraz congratulates Botic van de Zandschulp on the US Open. Picture Credit score: Charly Triballeau/AFP through Getty Pictures
