For the first time in more than eight years, Novak Djokovic is not a member of the ATP top 10.

The 24-time major champion tumbled seven places from No. 5 to No. 12 in the rankings issued this week, the fallout from a first-round US Open defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone. It is the first time Djokovic has been outside the elite bracket since July 2018.

The last time the top 10 was without a member of the so-called Big Three, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, was October 2002. Federer retired in 2022 and Nadal in 2024, leaving Djokovic as the last of the three still competing.

Djokovic vomited courtside and called for a medical timeout before the fifth set as Navone ran through the final stretch, reeling off 11 of the last 12 games to close out a four-hour, 35-minute upset in Flushing Meadows on 31 August.

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“It’s because of a health issue I have, I’ve been dealing with it for many years now,” Djokovic said afterwards, according to ESPN, adding that heat and humidity aggravated the problem.

Zverev cuts Sinner’s lead with second major of the year

Alexander Zverev turned the opening into silverware. The German beat American Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in the US Open final on 13 September to claim his second major of the year after Roland Garros.

“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now we’ve won two within the span of three months,” Zverev told his team on court, referring to German men’s tennis.

The two trophies have transformed his rankings position. Zverev, still No. 2, now sits on 9,690 points against Sinner’s 11,500, a gap of 1,810 that has narrowed sharply from earlier in the season. Sinner, out of the US Open with a knee issue, held the No. 1 spot without playing.

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Shelton and Tiafoe hit career highs

Shelton’s run to the New York final has pushed him five places up to a career-high No. 4 with 4,680 points.

Frances Tiafoe’s semi-final took him four places up to a career-high No. 8 on 3,380 points, his first appearance in the top 10 since August 2023. Karen Khachanov also made the biggest leap of the week, climbing 24 places to No. 26 after his quarter-final run.

Carlos Alcaraz stayed third on 5,560 points. Felix Auger-Aliassime is fifth, Daniil Medvedev sixth, Flavio Cobolli seventh and Alex de Minaur ninth, with Taylor Fritz completing the top 10.

Djokovic addressed his changed status directly, per IANS.

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“I’ve been very proud of all the achievements in the past, but now is now,” he said.

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