Alexa papan celebrates winning there's been another massive upset at the US Open one night after no three Carlos alaras was stunned by unseed bodic Vandy zul and straight sets no two Novak jokovic has been bounced by no 28 seed Australian alexe paparan in the third round at Arthur Ash Stadium paparan notches the biggest win of his career 6- 4 6 - 4 2-6 6us 4 I've been in the third round about 15 times in my career but I haven't been able to get past to the fourth round paparan said on the court and to be able to do it against the greatest of all time to get into the fourth round is unbelievable it's been a strange year for jokovic for his standards at least not winning any Grand Slam titles in 2024 he ends a season without a major title for the first time since 2017 in fact it's the first year since 2002 that none of the members of men's tennis big three jokovic Rafael Nadal and the now retired Roger Federer won a grand slam jokovic who had double faults and 49 unforced errors didn't mince words about his performance on my end honestly the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament third round is a success jokovic said I've played some of the worst tennis I've ever played honestly serving by far the worst ever jokovic will have to wait until 2025 to seek his 25th Grand Slam singles title which would be the most across men's or women's tennis with a 37-year-old setting his sights on next year's Australian Open papan had entered the night 0 to3 in career head-to-head matches against jokovic including going 0 to2 against the Serb in Grand SLS Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year but the 25-year-old Australian has had a steady rise this season particularly during the summer hard court swing winning his first a masters 1,000 title in Montreal earlier this month Third Time Lucky I guess paparan said no honestly we had some battles at Australian Open at 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 papan returns a shot against jokovic papyan returns a shot against jokovic Sarah Styer Getty Images in the round of 16 papin will face American and no 20 seed Francis TFO who rallied to defeat his friend and compatriot no 13 seed Ben Shelton in a 4H hour five set battle earlier Friday papyan becomes the second Australian man to defeat jokovic at a grand slam of event and the first player to defeat jokovic before the US Open fourth round since Australian Leon huitt part of poer and's box at Arthur Ash stadium bested jokovic in the third round in 2006 this was jovic's earliest exit in a major this year