Defending champion Novak Djokovic acknowledged that he had played “his worst tennis ever” after suffering his earliest exit from the US Open in 18 years on Friday. This defeat raised further doubts about his future in the sport.
The 37-year-old Djokovic, a four-time winner in New York, was knocked out in the third round by 28th-seeded Alexei Popyrin from Australia with a score of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. This loss prevented him from achieving a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic’s performance included an uncharacteristic 14 double faults and 49 unforced errors, and marks the first time since 2017 that he will finish a season without a Grand Slam title.
Reflecting on his performance, a downcast Djokovic said, “Reaching the third round with the way I played is a success.” He added, “I have played some of my worst tennis ever.”
Novak Djokovic admitted that his performance at the US Open was affected by the energy he expended winning Olympic gold in Paris just a month ago.
“The worst tennis I’ve ever played,” Djokovic said, reflecting on his lackluster showing in New York.
He noted that his recent Olympic victory had drained him both mentally and physically, leaving him feeling less than fresh for the US Open. Despite giving his best effort, Djokovic acknowledged that he simply felt “out of gas.”
This latest setback follows a challenging year for Djokovic, who saw Jannik Sinner take his Australian Open title and Carlos Alcaraz claim both the French Open and Wimbledon titles. Sinner also ousted Djokovic from the world number one ranking, a position Djokovic had held for a total of 428 weeks.
A knee injury, which required surgery, caused Djokovic to withdraw from the French Open just before his quarter-final match, and his recovery was insufficient to prevent Alcaraz from winning Wimbledon.
For the first time since 2002, none of the ‘Big Three’—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or the retired Roger Federer—have won a Grand Slam this year. Djokovic’s exit from the US Open came after Alcaraz’s surprise defeat in the second round.
Alexei Popyrin, who beat Djokovic in the third round, praised his own performance, highlighting the significance of his victory over one of the greatest players of all time.
Despite a frustrating year, Djokovic’s Olympic gold remains a bright spot. He called it his “greatest achievement,” marking his 99th career title and achieving the Golden Slam of four major titles plus Olympic gold.
If Djokovic continues into 2025 and wins the Australian Open, he would become the oldest male Grand Slam champion of the modern era. On Friday, his failure to convert five break points in the first set against Popyrin proved costly, as the younger Australian went on to secure a memorable victory.
Djokovic remained optimistic, stating, “Life moves on. I’ll try and recalibrate and look for what’s next. Tomorrow is a new day.”
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