In a shocking turn of events, Novak Djokovic was defeated in the third round of the US Open by Alexei Popyrin, marking the first time since 2017 that the Serbian star will end the year without a Grand Slam title. This unexpected loss raises questions about Djokovic’s return to the court and his schedule for the rest of the season.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is eager to bounce back from this disappointment and will soon be back in action following his early exit in New York. Playing his first tournament since claiming Olympic gold for Serbia in Paris, Djokovic was unable to find his rhythm and described his performance as some of his “worst tennis ever” in the defeat to Popyrin.

“This is a tough loss for me, but I have to regroup and focus on my upcoming matches,” Djokovic said after the match.

Despite this setback, Djokovic remains determined to finish the season on a positive note. He is set to feature in Serbia’s Davis Cup World Group I match in Belgrade against Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Greece on September 14 and 15. Djokovic has a strong history in the Davis Cup, leading Serbia to victory in 2010 and coming close to another triumph last year before being bested by Italy’s Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

Following the Davis Cup, Djokovic will skip the Laver Cup in Berlin and instead head to Shanghai for the ATP 1000 event, where he is a four-time champion. This tournament, starting on October 2, will mark Djokovic’s return for the first time since 2019 and he is eager to make his mark once again on the hard courts.

Despite his past success, Djokovic currently finds himself in ninth place on the Race to Turin standings, putting him outside the last qualification spot for the ATP Finals. However, Djokovic remains focused on his upcoming matches and is determined to climb back up the rankings to secure his spot in the season-ending tournament.