3 times Novak Djokovic failed to reach 2nd week at US Open ft. Shock loss to Alexei Popyrin in 2024
Novak Djokovic suffered a third-round exit at US Open 2024, with Alexei Popyrin beating him 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. The Serb will thus end this season without a single Grand Slam to his name, the first time this has happened since 2017.
Statistically, the US Open is Djokovic's least successful Major but it is also the one where he has always reached at least the third round.
The Serb has won the US Open four times in his career (2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023), finished runners-up on six other occasions, and reached the semifinals three times. In fact, the 37-year-old has featured in the second week of the US Open for 15 consecutive campaigns out of his 18 total appearances at the tournament.
With that said, let's take a look at three times Novak Djokovic has failed to reach the second week at the US Open:
#3 US Open 2005
Novak Djokovic made his US Open debut in 2005. He faced Gael Monfils in the opening round and saved multiple match points to better the Frenchman over five sets, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 0-6, 7-5. The former World No. 1 came up against 22nd seed Mario Ancic and defeated the Croat 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Djokovic faced Fernando Verdasco in the third round at the 2005 US Open, and the duo played an enthralling five-setter. After splitting the first four sets, Verdasco outlasted the Serb to emerge victorious 1-6, 4-6, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4.
#2 US Open 2006
A year after his third-round finish at the 2005 US Open, Djokovic had reached his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the 2006 French Open and won his maiden tour-level title in Amersfoort. As a result, he earned the 20th seeding at the 2006 US Open and came back from a set down to defeat American wildcard Donald Young 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 in the first round.
Djokovic played another exciting four-setter against another American, Mardy Fish, in the second round and came through the contest 7-6 (5), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3). This win set up a clash against 15 seed Lleyton Hewitt. Unfortunately for the Serb, the Australian easily won the match 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, ending his US Open journey in the third round for a second year in a row.
#1 US Open 2024
After his third-round exit at the 2006 US Open, Novak Djokovic reached at least the fourth round of the tournament in every appearance. That was until the 2024 US Open, where he was stunned in the third round. Djokovic was the defending champion at the 2024 edition of the competition and was seeded 20th in the main draw.
The Serb faced little trou in dispatching Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot in his opening match at the 2024 US Open, registering a comfortable straight sets win, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. He then came up against compatriot Laslo Djere in the second round and took a two-set lead in the contest. Djere made a good start to the third set but unfortunately retired from the match due to an injury.
The man from Belgrade then faced 28th seed Alexei Popyrin in the third round of the 2024 US Open. Popyrin, fresh off of his win at the Masters 1000 Canadian Open, made a terrific start to the contest and won the first two sets. Djokovic cut the deficit in half in the third set but could not hold off the Australian for long.
Popyrin won the biggest match of his career, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, and stopped the Serb from progressing to the second week of the US Open for the just third time in his career.