Djokovic exits top 10 as Big Three era comes to an end

Dubai: Novak Djokovic's fall from No. 5 to No. 12 in the latest ATP rankings has marked the end of an era in men's tennis, with no member of the sport's famed "Big Three" featuring in the top 10 for the first time since October 2002. The 39-year-old Serbian, the only active member of the trio, dropped out of the top 10 following his shock first-round exit at the U.S. Open, where he was beaten by Mariano Navone. Djokovic's rankings decline means that neither he, Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal currently occupies a place among the top 10 players in the world, ending a remarkable run that spanned nearly a quarter of a century. Federer retired in 2022 at the age of 41, while Nadal ended his career in 2024 aged 38. Djokovic remains active and owns a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, ahead of Nadal's 22 and Federer's 20. The last time none of the three featured in the ATP top 10 was in October 2002, when Lleyton Hewitt was world No. 1. The length of time that has passed is highlighted by the fact that Hewitt's son, 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt, is now emerging as a professional player. Djokovic's U.S. Open defeat was his earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades, dating back to the 2006 Australian Open, and the first opening-round loss of his career at Flushing Meadows. "I've been very proud of all the achievements in the past, but now is now," Djokovic said after the defeat in New York. The Big Three collectively dominated men's tennis for more than two decades. Federer first entered the top 10 later in 2002 and remained there until the end of 2016, including a record streak of 237 consecutive weeks as world No. 1. Nadal broke into the top 10 in April 2005 during his breakthrough season on clay and remained there for a record 912 consecutive weeks until 2023. Djokovic joined the top 10 in 2007 and went on to spend a record 428 weeks as world No. 1. The shift comes as the men's game continues its transition to a new generation led by Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Sinner, Zverev and Alcaraz remain ranked first, second and third respectively, while U.S. Open runner-up Ben Shelton climbed five places to a career-high No. 4. Although Sinner and Alcaraz have emerged as the dominant forces of the new era, injuries have disrupted both players this season. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon because of a wrist injury, while Sinner withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a knee problem. Zverev has arguably been the most consistent performer in men's tennis this year, winning the French Open and U.S. Open, finishing runner-up at Wimbledon and reaching the Australian Open semi-finals. Despite his success, the German remained cautious when discussing his standing in the game after winning the U.S. Open title. "If everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead," Zverev said. "It's as simple as that." On the women's side, Elena Rybakina moved to world No. 1 after winning the U.S. Open, ending Aryna Sabalenka's 99-week reign at the top of the rankings. Rybakina also captured the Australian Open title earlier in the season.