Novak Djokovic’s shock first-round exit at the US Open has ended one of the longest streaks in tennis history, with none of the Big Three — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — featuring in the ATP top 10 for the first time since October 2002.
Djokovic slipped to No. 12 in the latest ATP Rankings released after the conclusion of the 2026 Grand Slam season, ending his unprecedented run inside the top 10.
Djokovic suffers eight-year low
The 39-year-old Serb suffered a stunning first-round defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone at the US Open.
Djokovic lost the five-set battle 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 after four hours and 36 minutes on court.
The defeat marked his earliest exit from a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open, when he also lost in the opening round.
It also brought an end to Djokovic’s latest spell among the ATP’s top 10, which had lasted since 2018.
Djokovic first entered the top 10 in 2007. He briefly dropped out in November 2017 after an elbow injury forced him to retire during his Wimbledon quarter-final match, but returned to the elite group a year later after winning the Wimbledon title.
Big Three’s 8,736-day reign ends
Djokovic’s fall to No. 12 means that, for the first time in almost 24 years, the ATP top 10 does not feature Federer, Nadal or Djokovic.
The remarkable streak lasted 8,736 consecutive days, stretching from October 2002 to September 2026.
During that period, the three tennis legends dominated men’s tennis and collectively won 66 Grand Slam titles — Djokovic 24, Nadal 22 and Federer 20.
At least one member of the trio remained inside the ATP top 10 throughout that period.
Federer retired from professional tennis in 2022 after making his final appearance at the Laver Cup. Nadal continued for another two years before playing his final match at the 2024 Davis Cup.
Djokovic remains active and has indicated that he wants to continue playing until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Zverev closes gap on Sinner
Meanwhile, newly crowned US Open champion Alexander Zverev strengthened his position at No. 2 in the ATP Rankings.
The German has reduced the gap to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner to 1,810 points and has nearly twice as many ranking points as third-placed Carlos Alcaraz.
With Djokovic now outside the top 10, a new era in men’s tennis has formally begun — marking the end of an extraordinary chapter dominated by Federer, Nadal and Djokovic for nearly a quarter of a century.
