Key Takeaways
- Novak Djokovic slipped to world No. 12 after losing in the US Open first round to Mariano Navone 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in four hours and 36 minutes.
- Djokovic’s fall leaves the ATP top 10 without a Big Three player for the first time since October 2002, ending a streak of 8,736 consecutive days.
- Newly crowned US Open champion Alexander Zverev held world No. 2, narrowing Jannik Sinner’s lead to 1,810 points while extending his advantage over third-placed Carlos Alcaraz.
End of a 24-year era in men’s tennis
A historic chapter in men’s tennis concluded following the latest ATP Rankings release, as Novak Djokovic fell outside the world’s top 10 for the first time since 2018. The drop ends an extraordinary 8,736-day streak spanning nearly 24 years during which at least one member of the Big Three—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, or Roger Federer—occupied a spot among the elite top 10.
The unbroken run dated back to October 2002. Over those nearly 24 years, the trio combined for 66 Grand Slam singles championships, featuring 24 trophies for Djokovic, 22 for Nadal, and 20 for Federer.
Comparison table
| Entry | Value |
|---|---|
| Published on: Sep 15, 2026, 10 | 05:50 IST |
| Published on: Sep 15, 2026, 10 | 32:01 IST |
| Published on: Sep 15, 2026, 08 | 33:05 IST |
Marathon defeat triggers eight-year low
Djokovic slipped to 12th in the standings following an opening-round elimination at the US Open. The 39-year-old was defeated by Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a grinding battle that lasted four hours and 36 minutes, with the Argentine prevailing 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The result represented an eight-year low for the Serbian star and marked his earliest elimination at a major tournament since falling in the first round of the 2006 Australian Open.
Djokovic initially broke into the top 10 in 2007. An elbow injury that forced his retirement in the 2017 Wimbledon quarterfinals contributed to him slipping outside the elite tier in November 2017, before he regained his top-10 standing a year later with his Wimbledon championship run in 2018.
Shifting landscape at the top of the rankings
While his longtime rivals have stepped away from competitive tennis—Federer bidding farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup and Nadal concluding his career at the 2024 Davis Cup—Djokovic remains on tour with intentions to compete through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics despite physical challenges taking a toll in recent months.
At the top of the updated rankings, newly crowned US Open winner Alexander Zverev strengthened his position at world No. 2, cutting the deficit behind top-ranked Jannik Sinner to 1,810 points while nearly doubling his points total over third-placed Carlos Alcaraz.
Novak Djokovic in 2026
Ranked world no.12, the Serbian played his last match on the 30th of August when he lost to world no.45 Mariano Navone 7-6(5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 in the 1st round of the U.S. Open (draw).
Currently, during this season the Serbian owns an overall 14-7 record. Novak Djokovic’s most significant result of this season was getting to the semifinal at the Australian Open.
