What's happened
Defending champion Novak Djokovic was eliminated from the US Open in a shocking third-round defeat to Alexei Popyrin. This marks Djokovic's earliest exit at a Grand Slam since 2017, ending his quest for a record-breaking 25th title. His performance was marred by numerous errors, including 14 double faults.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Jonathan Veal from The Independent, Djokovic described his performance as 'some of the worst tennis I have ever played,' emphasizing his struggles with serving. Al Jazeera noted that Popyrin's victory was a significant upset, marking his first advancement to the fourth round of a major. The Independent also highlighted the emotional toll of Djokovic's Olympic win, suggesting it contributed to his lack of freshness at the US Open. Howard Fendrich from the Associated Press pointed out that 2024 is the first year since 2002 without a Grand Slam title for any of the Big Three, indicating a potential shift in men's tennis dominance.
How we got here
Djokovic entered the US Open after winning gold at the Paris Olympics, but struggled with fatigue and lack of hard-court matches since March. His defeat follows a similar upset of Carlos Alcaraz, who was also eliminated early in the tournament.
Common question
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What Caused Djokovic's Early Exit from the US Open?
Novak Djokovic's unexpected defeat at the US Open has left fans and analysts questioning the factors behind his early exit. As the defending champion, his loss to Alexei Popyrin in the third round marks a significant moment in tennis history. This page explores the reasons for his performance, its implications for his legacy, and other surprising upsets in the tournament.
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What led to Djokovic's surprising loss at the US Open?
Novak Djokovic's unexpected exit from the US Open has left fans and analysts alike questioning what went wrong for the defending champion. After a stellar performance at the Olympics, many anticipated Djokovic would continue his winning streak. Instead, he faced an early defeat against Alexei Popyrin, raising concerns about his form and future in the sport. Below, we explore the key factors behind this shocking result and its implications.
More on these topics
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Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals.
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Carlos Alcaraz Garfia is a Spanish professional tennis player. Alcaraz has a career high ATP singles ranking of World No. 75 achieved on 21 June 2021.
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Alexei Popyrin is an Australian tennis player.
Popyrin has a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 87 achieved in July 2019. He also has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 247 achieved in July 2019.