Most shocking losses of 2024 ft Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek
The 2024 tennis season was a dramatic and competitive year in the modern history of the sport. Top-ranked players like Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek on the women's side, and Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on the men's side dominated proceedings.
However, there were instances where lower-ranked players pulled off the improbable, winning against overwhelming favorites on the biggest of stages, especially at the Grand Slams.
Let's take a look at some of the upsets of the 2024 season
#7 Elena Rybakina vs Anna Blinkova, Australian Open
In one of the most enthralling matches of the year, Anna Blinkova of Russia stunned Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the second round of the 2024 Australian Open. The Kazakh was the third seed and the runner-up of the 2023 edition, losing to Aryna Sabalenka.
Rybakina was one of the pre-tournament favorites for the Melbourne Major and entered it at the back of a title triumph at the Brisbane International. She reached the second round after defeating Karolina Pliskova 7-6(6), 6-4. Here, the Kazakh faced Anna Blinkova, and the latter took the lead after taking the first set.
However, Rybakina composed herself, duly won the second set 6-4, and took the match to the third set. The match was special because of the third set tiebreaker where both players had to play 42 points, with Blinkova winning 22-20. Both players had match points aplenty, as the Russian had to wait till her tenth match point to win the match, whereas the Kazakh squandered 8 match points.
#6 Iga Swiatek vs Zheng Qinwen, Paris Olympics
Given that the tennis events would be held at Roland Garros at the Paris Olympics, Iga Swiatek was the overwhelming favorite for the gold medal. The Pole is a four-time French Open champion and had a 35-2 record at the clay-court Major.
The Pole and the top seed faced Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. In what was a turning off the tables of the highest order, the Chinese player defeated the favorite in straight sets, winning the match 6-2, 7-5, handing the Pole her first loss in Paris since 2021.
Swiatek did win the bronze medal, winning against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the bronze medal match, whereas Zheng won the gold, winning against Donna Vekic in the final.
#5 Marketa Vondrousova vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Wimbledon
Marketa Vondrousova took the court on the second day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships as the defending champion.
Vondorusova was the sixth seed this year. However, the defining champion did not have any remarkable form in the 2024 season. She reached the quarterfinal at the French Open, losing to Iga Swiatek.
The Czech faced off against Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round. The sixth seed was the firm favorite, but she looked off-color on the court from the start, with Bouzas Maneiro winning the match, in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.
Bouzas Maneiro reached the third round where she retired in her match against eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. For Vondrousova, that was the last match of the season for her, as she ended her year on-court due to injury.
#4 Andrey Rublev vs Francisco Comesana, Wimbledon
In what was to be a routine win, Andrey Rublev faced Francisco Comesana in the first round at Wimbledon. The Russian was the sixth seed and was a quarterfinalist at the All England Club in 2023. He was expected to win against an opponent who was ranked 122 in the world.
However, in a tricky four-set match, it was the Argentine who caused a massive upset, defeating Rublev. The sixth seed was inconsistent in his shots, making numerous unforced errors, whereas Comesana hit 21 aces to win the match, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5). The Argentine reached the third round, losing to Lorenzo Musetti.
The match was also noted for the Russian's public meltdown, which saw him smash his racquet on his knee repeatedly, causing quite some damage to his own leg.
#3 Novak Djokovic vs Luca Nardi, Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic had a tumultuous start in 2024, as he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semi-final. The loss ruined the perfect 10-0 record for the Serb at the semifinals in Melbourne.
It was expected that the former World No. 1 would come back strongly at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells. The top seed received a first-round bye, defeated Aleksander Vukic in the second round in three sets, and was set to face lucky loser Luca Nardi. The match was heavily in favor of the Serb who had won the title in Indian Wells five times.
In what was one of the upsets of the year, the Italian played out of his skin to defeat arguably the best player to ever play the sport, He won in three sets, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Nardi lost in the very next match, losing to Tommy Paul.
#2 Novak Djokovic vs Alexei Popyrin, US Open
Novak Djokovic entered the US Open, having won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. The Serb had accomplished the one missing goal from his illustrious career in an astounding final against Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
At the US Open, Djokovic began his campaign with wins against Radu Albot and Laslo Djere in the first two rounds. However, the Serb was far away from his peak level, committing numerous double faults in those matches. His wins set up a clash with Alexei Popyrin in the third round.
Popyrin won his biggest title, at the Canadian Open. The Australian had faced Djokovic at Wimbledon, where he held his own but lost a tough four-setter against former World No. 1.
However, under the lights of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was Popyrin who shone the brightest, His strong serving and ferocious groundstrokes were too much for an under-par Djokovic. The Australian won the match in four sets, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. However, he lost in the next round against Frances Tiafoe.
For Djokovic, this loss marked the first time since 2017 that the Serb failed to win a Grand Slam in a year.
#1 Carlos Alcaraz vs Botic Van de Zandschulp, US Open
The US Open was the stage of arguably the biggest upset of the 2024 tennis season as Carlos Alcaraz lost to Botic Van de Zandschulp in the second round. The Dutchman won the match 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
The Spaniard entered the US Open as the third seed. He came to New York on the back of a hectic schedule, which saw him win the Wimbledon and French Open titles, and make a run till the final at the Paris Olympics, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz was visibly tired in his subsequent matches, evident in his loss against Gael Monfils in the second round of the Cincinnati Open. Even at the US Open, he had a shaky performance in his four-set win over Li Tu in the first round.
However, the consensus was that the Spaniard would turn things around and make a deep run in New York. Those hopes came crashing down as Botic Van de Zandschulp gave a masterful performance, dispatching one of the best players in the world in straight sets.