Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has attributed his early exit from the U.S. Open to fatigue following his recent Olympic triumph.
What Happened: Djokovic revealed that his quest for Olympic gold left him depleted for his U.S. Open title defense. The Serbian player experienced an unexpected third-round loss to Australian Alexei Popyrin, marking his earliest departure from the year’s final major since 2006, reported Reuters.
Despite recently securing the Olympic title, which he described as the pinnacle of his career, Djokovic’s performance in New York was lackluster.
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“I spent a lot of energy winning the gold and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh,” he admitted, according to the report. “I didn’t have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas, you know, and you could see that with the way I played.”
His struggle was apparent from the onset of his campaign for a record 25th major title. Djokovic had difficulty in the intense conditions and confessed to feeling lost on the court. This will be the first year since 2017 that he concludes without a Grand Slam title, the report noted.
Why It Matters: For the first time since 2002, none of tennis’s “Big Three”—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or the retired Roger Federer—will have claimed a major title in a season, signaling a shift in the men’s game.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, it was reported that ESPN, co-owned by The Walt Disney Company, recently extended its partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA.)
The open tennis tournament will be aired on ESPN through 2037. This 12-year extension, starting in 2026, is ESPN’s longest tennis contract to date.
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