Novak Djokovic admits playing 'worst tennis' after US Open upset
What's the story
Novak Djokovic has candidly admitted to playing "some of the worst tennis" of his career in the ongoing 2024 US Open.
This confession comes after his shocking third-round exit at the hands of Australia's Alexei Popyrin.
The Serbian star, who happens to be the defending US Open champion, described his performance as "awful," marking it as his poorest showing at a Grand Slam event since 2006.
Self-assessment
Djokovic's self-critique and acknowledgment of Popyrin's superiority
Djokovic, who recently secured a historic gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was defeated by Popyrin with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
He acknowledged that Popyrin "definitely played better and deserved to win."
The Serbian champion also criticized his own performance throughout the tournament.
"I mean, on my end, honestly...I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played," he said.
Performance analysis
Serving woes and Popyrin's pressure
Djokovic's performance was marred by a staggering 32 double faults across his three matches at the US Open.
Fourteen of these occurred in his third-round clash against Popyrin, leading to him losing serve five times.
"If you play on a quick surface like this without the serve...then you can't win," he said.
He also acknowledged the pressure exerted by Popyrin's strong serving game.
Challenges
Struggle with quick surfaces and fatigue
Djokovic admitted to struggling with the quick surfaces in New York, following his decision to rest after his Paris Olympics victory.
"I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically," he said.
Despite these challenges, he emphasized that he had no physical issues but felt "out of gas."
Year-end
Djokovic's year ends without a Grand Slam
The defeat marks the first time since 2017 that Djokovic has ended a calendar year without winning a Grand Slam.
His best performance this year was at Wimbledon, where he reached the final before being defeated by Carlos Alcaraz.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic said, "The game is falling apart, and I guess you have to accept that tournaments like this happen."