The worst defeats in Novak Djokovic’s career

ByDavid Mitchell
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It only took three days for the men’s circuit to register the first hit of the seasonfollowing the unexpected defeat of the Serbian Novak Djokovic (7th), who lost 7-6 (6) and 6-3 against the American Reilly Opelka (293rd) in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane ATP 250.

In this way, the former world number 1, who had eliminated the local Rinky Hijikata (73rd) and the Frenchman Gael Monfils (55th) in straight sets in the previous rounds, totaled the second worst fall by ranking of his award-winning career at the highest level, after retiring due to injury Belgrade 2010 in front of his compatriot Filip Krajinovic (319th), who dominated 6-4 on the scoreboard.

It should be remembered that the 24-time champion in Grand Slam tournaments, which is not proclaimed in the Tour Since the ATP Finals 2023, he also suffered other tortuous eliminations such as against the Spaniard Daniel Gimeno Traver (178°) in Barcelona 2006his countryman Viktor Troicki (176°) in Umag 2007the Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro (141°) in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Slovak Martin Klizan (140°) in Barcelona 2018.

Novak Djokovic’s 10 worst losses by ranking:

1) Filip Krajinovic (319th) 6-4 and retires in Belgrade 2010
2) Reilly Opelka (293rd) 7-6 (6) and 6-3 in Brisbane 2025
3) Daniel Gimeno-Traver (178th) 6-4, 3-6 and 6-3 in Barcelona 2006
4) Viktor Troicki (176th) by 2-6, 6-4 and 7-5 at Umag 2007
5) Juan Martín Del Potro 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (2) in Rio 2016
6) Martin Klizan (140°) 6-2, 1-6 and 6-3 in Barcelona 2018
7) Jan Hernych (128th) 6-2 and 6-4 in Hertogebosch 2006
8) Jiri Vesely (123rd) 6-4 and 7-6 (4) in Dubai 2022
8) Luca Nardi (123rd) 6-4, 3-6 and 6-3 in Indian Wells 2024
10) Kevin Anderson (122nd) 7-6 (1), 3-6 and 6-4 in Miami 2008

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.