Novak Djokovic's surprising defeat at the US Open ends his remarkable 22-year winning streak.

The U.S. Open on Friday marked the beginning of a new era in tennis with the surprising defeat of 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the third round.

After winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Serbian tennis star lost his title defense to 28th-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Australia in four sets.

After the match, a disappointed Djokovic made no excuses.

"The third round of the tournament was a success, despite the fact that he played some of the worst tennis he had ever played, serving the worst ever. He admitted that Friday's match was "awful.""

"Without the serve or the ability to win free points on a quick surface, you cannot win."

Was Djokovic asked if competing in Paris affected his ability to win in New York? He declined to speculate but stated that he had been "out of gas."

"Although I arrived in New York without feeling fresh, mentally and physically, I decided to participate in the U.S. Open and give it my all. I didn't experience any physical problems, but I felt drained."

Djokovic's hopes of winning back-to-back U.S. Open titles were dashed on Thursday, marking the first time since 2002 that a member of the "Big Three" has not won a Grand Slam in a calendar year.

While Jannik Sinner of Italy won the Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won the French Open after defeating Djokovic in the finals of Wimbledon.

Since retiring, Federer has been followed by Nadal, who appears to be approaching a similar path. However, the future for Djokovic remains uncertain.

"Djokovic acknowledged that it was difficult to see the bigger picture at the moment, as he was feeling angry and upset about losing and his performance. However, he emphasized that tomorrow was a new day and he would consider his next steps."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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