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Novak Djokovic has identified his top contenders for the men’s singles title at the US Open 2024 following his surprising exit in the third round. The defending champion was unexpectedly defeated by Alexei Popyrin, marking his first third-round departure since 2006.
Djokovic's favorites for the US Open 2024
Popyrin overcame the Serbian star in a gripping four-set match with scores of 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. After this early exit from the tournament, Djokovic shared his insights on the players he believes are strong contenders for the title this year. He highlighted Popyrin’s impressive serve as a key factor in his potential success. Additionally, Djokovic gave special recognition to Janik Sinner, the Australian Open champion, as one of the leading favorites for the title.
“Popyrin beat me deservedly. If he serves like he did and plays well he can beat anyone. Alcaraz is out, so far it has been a tournament with big surprises. At the moment Jannik Sinner is the favourite, but there are also Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz who are playing well and can surprise, then also Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov,” said after the match.
No iconic trio after 22 years
Novak Djokovic entered the US Open 2024 with the ambition of securing his 25th Grand Slam title and reaching his 100th singles title. However, his campaign came to an unexpected halt at Flushing Meadows. This early exit marks the first time since 2002 that none of the iconic trio—Djokovic, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal—will win a Grand Slam title in a year.
Reflecting on Djokovic's year thus far, it has been a mix of highs and lows. Earlier, he achieved one of his greatest aspirations by winning Olympic gold at the Paris Games, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in two intense tie-breakers. This victory allowed him to avenge his previous back-to-back losses in Wimbledon finals to the French Open champion.
On the flip side, Djokovic had to withdraw from the French Open before the quarterfinals due to a required operation on his right knee, and he also faced a semi-final exit at the Australian Open.
