Alexei Popyrin will depart Wimbledon with the praise of his conqueror Novak Djokovic ringing in his ears and fresh belief that he can mix it with the very best in tennis.
The Sydneysider's big game troubled the great Djokovic in the early stages of their third-round clash on Saturday to the point that the Serbian maestro admitted Popyrin was a threat to any player.
Though he eventually succumbed in four sets to the relentless excellence of the seven-times champion, just as he had in their Australian Open clash in January, Popyrin felt his performance showcased his considerable improvement over the past year.
