Check How much Novak Djokovic’s ATP ranking set to plummet after US Open loss
Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic is poised for a significant drop in the ATP rankings following a disappointing performance at the 2024 US Open.
Widely regarded as the greatest men’s singles player of the Open era with 24 Grand Slam titles, the 37-year-old suffered a shocking exit from the tournament after losing to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Currently ranked second in the ATP standings with 7,460 points, Djokovic is set to lose up to 2,000 points as a result of this defeat, which will likely impact his position in the rankings significantly.
This development could drop Djokovic to at least fourth in the ATP rankings, a position he can only hold if Russia’s Daniil Medvedev does not have a strong showing in the tournament. Medvedev, currently ranked fifth and trailing Djokovic by fewer than 400 points, remains in contention at the US Open. He has advanced to the third round after defeating Fabian Marozsan in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6, keeping his chances of surpassing Djokovic alive.
For the first time in seven years, Novak Djokovic has failed to win a single major title. His challenging year began with a semifinal exit at the Australian Open, where he lost to current world number one Jannik Sinner, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. At the French Open, Djokovic, then ranked world number two, was forced to withdraw just before his quarterfinal match against Norway’s Casper Ruud due to a knee injury. His struggles continued at Wimbledon, where he was defeated in the final by Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6.
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
“Some of the worst tennis I have ever played”: Novak Djokovic slams display after shock Popyrin loss at US Open
Novak Djokovic criticized his performance as some of the worst tennis he has ever played following his defeat to Alexei Popyrin at the 2024 US Open.
Popyrin, who recently claimed the title in Toronto, secured a 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Djokovic, facing the prospect of a title drought for the first time since 2017, expressed disappointment with his display in the post-match interview.
“Congratulations to him and his team,” Djokovic said. “He definitely played better and deserved to win today.
” I mean, on my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. I mean, I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever.
“So, yeah, if you play on a quick surface like this without, you know, the serve, without ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can’t win.
“You can’t win, especially against the guys who are in form like Alexei who is serving big, puts a lot of pressure on your service game. Yeah, it was just an awful match for me.”
Djokovic refrained from fully attributing his loss to the abrupt transition from playing on clay at the Olympic Games to the hard courts of the US Open. However, he admitted that he arrived in New York not feeling at his best.
“I don’t know. Maybe, maybe. But it’s a different surface.
“I mean, obviously it had an effect. 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 US Open, you know, 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, you know, and you could see that with the way I played.
“Just from the very beginning, from the first match, I just didn’t find myself at all on this court. It’s all I can say, you know. You know, life moves on. I mean, yeah, just try and recalibrate and look for what’s next.”
