Djokovic’s US Open misfortune makes 2024 the to begin with year since 2002 without a Hammer title for the Huge Three

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic attempted to put on a cheerful confront, if as it were briefly, after his startling third-round vanquish at the U.S. Open. He raised his arms, put two thumbs up and smiled a bit some time recently making his way toward the Arthur Ashe Stadium locker room.

That 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 misfortune to Alexei Popyrin, which finished in the blink of an eye some time recently midnight as Friday got to be Saturday, closed the Amazing Hammer season for Djokovic, checking the to begin with year since 2017 that he didn’t win at slightest one major championship.

What does Novak Djokovic’s most recent Amazing Hammer misfortune mean?

For a fellow with 24 such titles, more than any other man in tennis history, possibly that’s not such a huge deal.

Then once more, for somebody who makes plain that his aspirations lie with collecting as numerous of those trophies as conceivable — and for somebody who is 37, don’t disregard — perhaps it is.

“It’s difficult to see the huge viewpoint right presently. You’re fair irate and disturbed that you misplaced and the way you played, and that’s it,” said Djokovic, who was the guarding winner, never has left the U.S. Open prior than the third circular and final went out this early in 2006.

“But tomorrow is a modern day,” he proceeded, “and I will clearly think around what to do next.”

Does this check the conclusion of the Enormous Three era?

Looking at the bigger picture, there is this measurement of importance: 2024 will go in the books as the to begin with season since 2002 without a Pummel title for any part of the so-called Huge Three of men’s tennis — Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Federer, who is presently resigned, won his to begin with major at Wimbledon in 2003, starting a momentous run of greatness for the trio. Their combined add up to is 66 Slams.

No man had collected more than Pete Sampras’ 14 at the sport’s four most critical occasions until Federer finished up with 20. Nadal at that point raised the bar to 22. And at that point Djokovic outperformed him.

“They brought it to a entire distinctive level,” Casper Ruud said when Federer resigned in 2022, “and appeared that anything is possible.”

But with Federer, 43, out of the diversion, and Nadal, 38, on dubious ground given a later arrangement of wounds, counting hip surgery a small more than a year back, presently the genuine address gets to be where things stand for Djokovic.

He misplaced in the elimination rounds of the Australian Open, pulled back some time recently the quarterfinals of the French Open since he required an operation on his right knee and was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the last at Wimbledon. What mattered most this year to Djokovic, in spite of the fact that, was winning his to begin with Olympic gold decoration for Serbia — and he did fair that, vanquishing Alcaraz in the last in Paris.

Why are there so numerous upsets at the U.S. Open?

Djokovic said there might be a few truth to the thought that the physical and mental strain of the Summer Diversions contributed to his appearing in Unused York, which he called “some of the most noticeably awful tennis I have ever played,” indicating in portion to 32 double-faults in three matches, 14 against Popyrin.

“I fair felt out of gas,” Djokovic said.

The unordinary surface-switching this season, from the French Open’s clay to Wimbledon’s grass to the Summer Games’ clay to the U.S. Open’s difficult courts, doesn’t make things any less demanding. Possibly that’s influencing other players who were at the Olympics, as well, outstandingly Alcaraz.

It’s the to begin with time since 2000 — and as it were the moment time in the Open period, which dates to 1968 — that two of the beat three men’s seeds were gone amid Week 1 in Modern York. Entering Saturday, fair one past men’s winner remained in the bracket, 2021 champ Daniil Medvedev.

A night some time recently Djokovic’s exit, 2022 champ Alcaraz’s 15-match Terrific Hammer winning streak finished when he was killed from the U.S. Open in straight sets by 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp.

“Results like that happen,” Popyrin said. “I thought to myself: Why not me today?”