Novak Djokovic didn’t sugarcoat his feelings after a surprising early exit from the U.S. Open. His performance was far from his best, and he didn’t shy away from acknowledging his own shortcomings. Reflecting on his uncharacteristic display, Djokovic pointed specifically to his poor serving as the primary reason for his unexpected third-round loss.
"I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly," Djokovic admitted, shortly after midnight as Friday turned into Saturday. "Serving — by far — the worst ever." Djokovic's 14 double faults in the match against 28th-seeded Alexei Popyrin from Australia raised his tournament total to a staggering 32. This poor serving performance contributed to his 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 defeat, a shocking result that came just a day after 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz was also knocked out.
This marks only the third instance in the Open era where two of the top three men's seeds at the U.S. Open were eliminated before the fourth round, with the other instances occurring in 1973 and 2000. "It was just an awful match for me," said Djokovic, who was seeded No. 2. "I wasn’t playing even close to my best. It’s not good to be in that kind of state where you feel OK physically, and of course you’re motivated because it’s a Grand Slam, but you just are not able to find your game. That’s it. The game is falling apart, and I guess you have to accept that tournaments like this happen."
What makes this loss even more surprising is that Djokovic was on a quest to make tennis history by becoming the first player to win 25 Grand Slam singles titles. After knee surgery in June, he was hoping to make a strong comeback, but instead, 2024 has become the first season since 2002 in which none of the Big Three—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—claimed a Slam trophy. For Djokovic, this is the first year since 2017 that he finishes without a Grand Slam title, a rare occurrence for someone of his stature. The last time he experienced such a drought was in 2010.
The defeat also equaled Djokovic’s worst showing at Flushing Meadows, where he was last knocked out this early in 2005 and 2006. Interestingly, the man who defeated him in 2006, Lleyton Hewitt, is now Australia’s Davis Cup captain and was sitting in Popyrin’s guest box at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Reflecting on Djokovic’s performance, Popyrin said, "He wasn't playing his best tennis; I was waiting for him to kind of step up."
Popyrin was well aware of Djokovic’s reputation for comebacks, especially from two-sets-to-love down, and he made sure not to let his guard down. "I didn’t want to be one of those moments where Novak kind of stepped up and came back from two-sets-to-love down," Popyrin said. "That was going through my head."
Pointers:
- Djokovic's performance was notably below his usual standards, specifically his serving, which was unusually off-target.
- His early exit is a rare occurrence, making it only the third time top seeds were knocked out before the fourth round in the Open era.
- Despite physical fitness, Djokovic couldn't find his rhythm, emphasizing that even the best can have off days at Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic, at 37, has a remarkable record at the U.S. Open, having reached the finals at Arthur Ashe Stadium 10 times and winning the title in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023. However, on this occasion, he seemed sluggish and emotionally flat. One possible reason for this was the fatigue lingering from his triumph at the Paris Games earlier in August, where he secured his first Olympic gold medal for Serbia by defeating Alcaraz. "Obviously, it had an effect," Djokovic said. "I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive in New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically. But because it’s the U.S. Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I mean, I didn’t have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas. And you could see that with the way I played."
The fatigue was not exclusive to Djokovic. The No. 3-seeded Alcaraz, who entered the U.S. Open as the favorite after winning the French Open and Wimbledon, was also struggling with his energy levels. He was eliminated by the 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets (6-1, 7-5, 6-4) on Thursday night. This early exit was as surprising to him as it was to fans. "I woke up this morning and showed my girlfriend straightaway, in shock. It was crazy. Results like that happen," said Popyrin, who had never played on the grand stage of Arthur Ashe Stadium until about 20 minutes before facing Djokovic. "I thought to myself: Why not me today?"
Djokovic's early exit is a reminder that in sports, especially at the highest levels, anything can happen. Even legends have their off days, and no player, no matter how great, is immune to the unpredictability of competition. This year’s U.S. Open has proven to be a tournament of surprises, highlighting the ever-changing dynamics of tennis where new talents can emerge, and even the most dominant players can falter.
Exciting Highlights:
- Djokovic's quest for a historic 25th Grand Slam title was halted unexpectedly.
- His sluggish performance and emotional flatness suggest possible lingering effects from recent achievements.
- Popyrin's triumph over Djokovic is a significant milestone in his career, especially given the setting and the stakes.
Djokovic remains one of the greatest to ever play the game, and while this loss may sting, it’s clear that his competitive spirit is far from extinguished. As for Popyrin, this victory serves as a landmark in his career, demonstrating that in the high-stakes world of Grand Slam tennis, upsets are always on the cards.
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