The sporting world was almost unrecognisable the last time Novak Djokovic's latest ranking situation happened
Novak Djokovic is arguably the greatest player to pick up a tennis racket, but his tumble down the rankings signifies the end of an era.
On Monday (August 31), Djokovic was in tears after losing to Argentina's Mariano Navone in the first round of the US Open.
It was the first time since 2006 that the 39-year-old had lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament, providing further evidence that age is catching up with the Serbian great.
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Why Novak Djokovic's ranking drop has ended a 24-year tennis streak
While Djokovic suffered heartbreak at the US Open, Alexander Zverev experienced more delight as the world number two picked up his second major title of 2026 with victory over Ben Shelton in Sunday's final.
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Zverev produced a monstrous display at Flushing Meadows to defeat Shelton, as the German continued to demonstrate why he's arguably the best player on the planet.
For years, that was an accolade that belonged to Djokovic, but the 24-time Grand Slam is a world away from his relentless best and his latest ranking drop indicates a downward spiral that comes naturally with age.
The Serbian dropped from fifth to 12th in Monday's renewed rankings, and it's the first time in almost eight years that he's fallen out of the ATP's top 10.
In fact, it's the first time since October 2002 that the men’s tennis rankings no longer feature a member of the legendary Big Three, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, inside the top 10.
The significance of the moment is underlined by just how long ago the previous occurrence came. Lleyton Hewitt was ranked world No. 1 in October 2002, while the Australian’s 17-year-old son, Cruz Hewitt, is now emerging as a professional player himself.
Djokovic, Federer and Nadal have collectively transformed the sport since, winning an extraordinary 66 Grand Slam singles titles between them.
What the sporting world looked like the last time this happened
In many ways, the Big Three delivered a golden generation of tennis that the current and upcoming generations may never replicate.
The fact that at least one of three players featured in the top 10 for 24 years is a testament to their longevity, with Djokovic still aiming to become the oldest winner of a Grand Slam in the sport's history.
Unsurprisingly, the last time none of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic featured in the top 10, the sporting world was completely different.
Cristiano Ronaldo had just broken into the first team at Sporting Lisbon, aged 17, before joining Manchester United in August 2003 for around £12million.
A 15-year-old Lionel Messi, meanwhile, was still playing in the youth ranks at Barcelona after moving from Rosario, Argentina, in 2001 to join the club's La Masia academy.
In the Premier League, Liverpool were top of the table, one point ahead of Arsenal, while Manchester City were stranded in the relegation places with Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland.
Elsewhere, Michael Schumacher had just won his fifth F1 championship, matching Juan Manuel Fangio's record after winning a remarkable 11 of his 17 races for Ferrari.
Topics: Novak Djokovic, Tennis, US Open
Thomas Griffin