Big 3 end without a grand Slam in a season for first time since 2002

On Friday night (August 30, 2024), defending champion Novak Djokovic suffered a shocking defeat at the US Open exiting in the third round with a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 loss to 28th-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia.

The No. 2-seeded Djokovic was aiming to make history by becoming the first player to secure 25 Grand Slam singles titles. However, he ended the year without clinching a major championship for the first time since 2017, a feat not seen since 2010 before that.

Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the third round of the US Open, marking his earliest exit since 2006. It is important to note that Djokovic has an impressive track record at the tournament, having reached the final 10 times and securing the title on four occasions (2011 , 2015 , 2018 , 2023) .

Also read :- Rohan Bopanna - Matthew Ebden pair progress into the second round of US Open

Novak was not in his best shape

During the match, Novak Djokovic appeared to struggle with his performance, possibly due to physical and emotional fatigue following his recent Olympic success at Paris. This is evident from the fact that he double faulted for a staggering 14 times on Friday night in the third round at the Flushing Meadows. The unexpected turn of events has undoubtedly garnered some attention in the tennis community.

In post match interview Novak Djokovic stated:-  "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 , It was just an awful match for me."

“I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to 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.” - Djokovic added 

None of the big three claim a Grand Slam in 2024

2024 now becomes the first season since 2002 in which none of the Big Three of men's tennis — Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer — earned a Slam trophy.

Also read :- WATCH: Daniil Medvedev compares the Louis Amrmstrong stadium to an Italian restaurant