Novak Djokovic has lamented the most awful serving performance of his career but made a significant point when quizzed as to whether his US Open conqueror Alexei Popyrin could now consider himself a legitimate contender to win the title in New York.
The defending champion and winner of 24 major titles was initially puzzled before stating the obvious.
If he could dethrone the King, why could the Australian not contend for a maiden major title over the second week at Flushing Meadows in a field also missing Carlos Alcaraz following his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp a night earlier on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I don’t know what to make of that question. I mean, look, he’s just beaten me, the defending champion here, so, I mean, he deserves credit for that and respect. If he serves well (and) plays well, he can beat anybody,” he said.
“Look, Alcaraz is out. I’m out. (There have been) some big upsets. The draw is opening up.”
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But Djokovic, who declared he was not “playing even close to my best”, noted Australian Open champion and world No.1 Jannik Sinner and Popryin’s next opponent Frances Tiafoe, a semifinalist in New York in 2022, were among a range of challengers to the throne.
“Obviously Sinner is the main favourite, but then, you know, Tiafoe is there as well as American favourite (Taylor) Fritz,” he said.
“(Alexander) Zverev, you have great guys playing well, and (Andrey) Rublev and (Grigor) Dimitrov in this part of the draw. Anybody can take it. It’s going to be interesting to see who takes the title in the end.”
After winning three of the four grand slam titles last year, Djokovic ends the season without a major title for the first time since 2017.
It is also the first time since Roger Federer defeated Mark Philippoussis to win the 2003 Wimbledon crown that no member of the Big Three of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or the Swiss superstar has their name on the grand slam honour roll.
It is also the first time since 2004 that at least one of the three legends has failed to progress to the last 16 of a major.
The Serbian capped his resume in Paris earlier this month when clinching an Olympic gold medal but his quest to stand alone in tennis as the winner of 25 major singles titles is now delayed until he returns to Melbourne in four months time.
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“Congratulations to him and his team. He definitely played better and deserved to win today,” Djokovic said.
“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.
“If you play on a quick surface like this without … the serve, without ability to win free points (and have a) very low first-serve percentage (with) 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, putting a lot of pressure on your service game. It was just an awful match for me.”
Djokovic, who has slipped to No.4 in the rankings on a live basis and could drop further, said he is planning to draw a line under the result.
“Obviously fresh off the court, you have a bitter taste in your mouth and you don’t like losing, even though I had so many more wins than losses in this tournament and, really, any other,” he said.
“So I have to draw the line. Sitting from a larger perspective, of course I have to be content. It’s hard to see the big perspective right now, you know. You’re just angry and upset that you lost and the way you played and that’s it. But … tomorrow is a new day and I will obviously think about what to do next.”
Source Agencies
