Djokovic Eyes Record-Breaking 25th Grand Slam Title as He Faces Popyrin at US Open

Novak Djokovic's quest for a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title continues on Friday night at the US Open, as the Serbian superstar takes on Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the third round. The 37-year-old Djokovic, who currently shares the record for most major singles titles with Margaret Court, will face the 28th seed in the evening session on Arthur Ashe Stadium at 00:00 BST.

Djokovic and Popyrin are no strangers to each other, having already met twice this year in Grand Slam tournaments. The Serb emerged victorious on both occasions, though Popyrin pushed him to four sets in their encounters at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. As Djokovic acknowledged, Popyrin has been inching closer with each match.

"I'm happy to win in four sets another time. Don't get me wrong. But he keeps on getting closer and closer, knocking on that door," Djokovic said ahead of their latest meeting. "He's been playing some great tennis, so no reason for him not to believe that he can put up a great performance, and he's going to go for the win. I know that. But I know what to expect as well, I'm going to do my homework and see what needs to be done."

Djokovic secured his spot in the third round after his compatriot, Laslo Djere, retired hurt during their second-round match. Popyrin, 25, advanced with a straight-sets victory over Spain's Pedro Martinez. While Djokovic is a four-time champion at Flushing Meadows, Popyrin is looking to break new ground, having never advanced past the third round in his previous attempts.

In the women's draw, American star Coco Gauff continues her title defense on Friday, taking on Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in a highly anticipated third-round match. Gauff, 20, has been in formidable form, defeating Germany's Tatjana Maria in straight sets to extend her winning streak at the US Open to nine matches. However, she faces a tough opponent in Svitolina, the 27th seed, who breezed past compatriot Anhelina Kalinina 6-1, 6-2 without dropping serve.

This matchup will be the fifth meeting between Gauff and Svitolina, with the head-to-head record currently tied at two wins apiece. Both players are in excellent form, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter on Arthur Ashe Court.

Rounding out the evening on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sabalenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, is eager to go one step further after finishing as runner-up in New York last year. Meanwhile, Alexandrova, seeded 29th, is hoping to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in her career.

As the US Open heats up, all eyes will be on Djokovic as he inches closer to making tennis history, while Gauff and Sabalenka look to solidify their places in the latter stages of the tournament.