The info you do not anticipate: Novak Djokovic’s elimination on the Brisbane Worldwide was fairly stunning, however what has puzzled Nole’s followers is a selected unfavourable file that has characterised the beginning of the season of the Serbian champion.
Nole was defeated within the quarterfinals of the Australian match by Reilly Opelka, former quantity 17 ATP who returned to the Tour after a protracted absence as a result of a number of accidents. The 27-year-old American received with a rating of 7-6(6) 6-3 over the previous number one ATP, inflicting a historic defeat on the 24-time Slam champion.
In truth, Opelka – at present No.293 within the ATP rating, grew to become the second participant with the bottom rating to beat the Serbian star. On the high of this curious rating is the countryman of the Serbian champion, Filip Krajinovic, who, within the Belgrade match, defeated Nole as quantity 319 ATP.
Reilly Opelka & Novak Djokovic, Brisbane 2025© Stream screenshot
On that event, nonetheless, the 24-time Slam champion retired after shedding the primary set 6-4, not finishing the match. The newest defeat suffered by Djokovic dates again to 2024, when it was the Italian Luca Nardi, ranked 123rd, who prevailed over the Serbian within the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Regardless of the massive hole within the rankings between Djokovic and Opelka, it’s nonetheless value highlighting the extent of the American tennis participant, recent from a two-year ordeal however able to profitable 4 ATP titles in his profession.
The American, who upon his return in July 2024 on the Corridor of Fame Open in Newport had already set the file for the lowest-ranked ATP match semifinalist ever, performed an unimaginable match in Brisbane, pushing all the way in which to the ultimate with out conceding a single set to his opponents (together with Djokovic). With the ultimate earned, the 27-year-old American has already gained 122 positions, reaching 171st place on this planet males’s rating, legitimate for a spot within the Australian Open qualifiers.
Who is aware of if the Australian match can relaunch the ambitions of the previous quantity 17, all the time acknowledged because the strongest hitters on your complete ATP Tour. Additionally Nole ha robust ambition in Mebourne: he needs his twenty fifth Main and 100 title of his superb profession.
