Novak Djokovic, the defending US Open champion, faced a surprising third-round defeat at the hands of Alexei Popyrin. The 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4 loss marks Djokovic’s first season without winning a Grand Slam since 2017.

In a post-match interview, Djokovic expressed his disappointment with his performance, describing his play at Flushing Meadows as “some of the worst tennis” he has ever displayed. The Serbian star made 14 double faults and 49 unforced errors during the match.

“He definitely played better and deserved to win today,” Djokovic admitted. “On my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. Yeah, it was just an awful match for me.”

Having won his first Olympic gold medal in Paris earlier this summer, Djokovic acknowledged feeling the toll of his efforts throughout the week. Despite not experiencing any physical issues, he struggled with fatigue.

“But because it’s the US Open, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I just felt out of gas,” Djokovic explained. “Yeah, you could argue that it’s because of the Olympics, but I don’t know. I don’t want to analyse that right now. Life moves on. I’ll try and recalibrate and look for what’s next. Tomorrow is a new day.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion faltered in critical moments of the match, converting only 25% of his break points compared to Popyrin’s 43%. Djokovic expressed frustration at his inability to find his rhythm on the court.

“So it’s not good to be in that kind of state where you feel okay physically, and of course you’re motivated because it’s a Grand Slam, but you just are not able to find your game,” Djokovic reflected.

With Djokovic’s early exit from the US Open, he will be looking ahead to future competitions to regain his form and continue his pursuit of greatness in the sport of tennis.