Novak Djokovic exits US Open after a shocking defeat to Alexei Popyrin

The US Open seems to have left open now with the exit of World No. 2 and No. 3, all within a matter of 24 hours. On Friday, Carlos Alcaraz faced an early ousting from the Grand Slam tournament as he was stunned by an unseeded Botic van de Zandschulp. Not even a day after, Novaj Djokovic has scripted another upset as he leaves the US Open after a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 defeat to no. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin. Djokovic's elimination from the ongoing Grand Slam Tournament means that it would be a first for the Paris Olympics gold medalist to end a season without any Grand Slam Title since 2017.

Novak Djokovic exits US Open, fails to triumph any Grand Slam title this season

Few people had anticipated that either the 74th ranked Botic or Popyrin would stun the Grand Slam favourites in the tournament. Despite a surprising first-round loss to Gael Monfils in Cincinnati just two weeks earlier, Alcaraz entered the event with impressive credentials, having won at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as securing a silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, Djokovic had achieved a historic gold medal at the Olympics earlier this month and was pursuing an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.

Worth a mention, with Alcaraz and Djokovic going neck to neck consistently in Wimbledon and Paris Olympics, tennis fans have grown habitual to witness both of them going against each other in the finals of marquee tournaments over the recent seasons. Consequently, both players were considered top contenders for the championship, and enthusiasts were eagerly hoping for a thrilling showdown between them in the final next week. However, the US Open had a change of scene in store for the tennis enthusiasts.

It wasn’t meant to be tonight. Well played, @AlexeiPopyrin99. Time for me to relax, regroup and move on. Until next time, NYC. 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/wsh4F9YzEQ

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 31, 2024

Popyrin, who has enjoyed a standout summer in the U.S., secured his first Masters 1000 title in Montreal earlier this month, delivered an impressive performance with 50 winners and took advantage of Djokovic's subpar serving to achieve the most significant victory of his career. Despite having previously extended Djokovic to four sets at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, he finally achieved success in this Grand Slam encounter.

A season of upsets at US Open as Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz find early exits

Novak Djokovic described his performance as "awful," calling it "some of the worst tennis" he has ever played, and concluded his Slam season with just one title for the first time since 2017. His exit from this major was his earliest since being unexpectedly defeated by wildcard Denis Istomin in the second round of the 2017 Australian Open and his earliest at the US Open since 2006, when he faced back-to-back third-round eliminations.

Moreover, Djokovic’s loss meant that for the first time since the 2004 French Open, none of the Big Three including himself, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer will be in the Round of 16. Additionally, it marks the first calendar year since 2002 without any of them winning a Grand Slam title. Now, with the elimination of both Alcaraz and Djokovic, the US Open has become the first Grand Slam in over 22 years to see neither the No. 2 nor the No. 3 seed advance to the Round of 16.