In a surprising turn of events, Novak Djokovic, the former world number 1, will end the 2024 season without a single Grand Slam title under his belt. This marks the first time since 2017, when he was plagued by a serious elbow injury, that Djokovic will close out the year without a major championship win.
The shocking upset came at the hands of Australian player Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the 2024 US Open. Popyrin capitalized on Djokovic’s less than perfect condition to secure the biggest victory of his career. The Australian player knew he had a great opportunity to defeat Djokovic, who had already shown signs of struggle in his earlier matches against Radu Albot and Laslo Djere.
After an impressive performance at the Paris Olympics, Djokovic, at 37 years old, appeared fatigued and opted to skip the Masters 1000 tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati. This decision ultimately hindered his performance on the hard court during the US Open.
Djokovic’s performance in Grand Slam tournaments throughout the year was inconsistent. He fell to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals and had to withdraw from the French Open before the quarterfinals due to a knee injury. Despite his physical limitations, the 24-time Grand Slam champion reached the Wimbledon Championships final, where he was soundly defeated by Carlos Alcaraz.
Despite his claims of continued hunger for success in the sport, doubts have arisen about Djokovic’s motivation following his triumph at the Paris Olympics. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shared her insights on Djokovic’s loss at the US Open, noting, “His goal for the year was to get the Olympic gold medal, and he got that done, so I’m not surprised he didn’t have the focus or that fire.”
Navratilova highlighted the challenges of maintaining peak performance as an athlete ages, emphasizing the importance of staying match tough. Djokovic’s early exit from the US Open has prompted him to commit to playing in the upcoming Davis Cup tie with Serbia against Greece.
As Djokovic navigates this period of uncertainty in his career, questions loom large about his future in the sport and whether he can reignite the fire that has driven him to numerous victories in the past. Only time will tell if Djokovic can overcome this setback and return to his winning ways on the tennis court.