Djokovic to leave Tokyo empty handed after losing singles bronze and pulling out of mixed doubles

OLYMPIC GAMES – BRONZE MEDAL MATCH

PABLO CARRENO BUSTA (#6) DEF. NOVAK DJOKOVIC (#1)  6-4, 6-7, 6-3

• The main information: World No 1 Novak Djokovic was defeated 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 by sixth seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the bronze medal play-off match at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday
• You will also learn: This was Djokovic’s third loss in a row at the Tokyo Olympics after losing in the semi-finals of the men’s singles and mixed doubles on Friday.
• Why you should read this article: To learn about Djokovic’s withdrawal from the mixed doubles bronze medal match due to injury

Novak Djokovic came to Tokyo with the hopes of winning the Golden Slam – all the four majors and the Olympic singles gold medal – and creating tennis history. By Friday evening, those dreams had been dashed as Djokovic was defeated in three sets by German Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals of the singles event and then lost his mixed doubles semi-final with partner Nina Stojanovic.

Djokovic’s exhaustion, both physical – from the heat in Tokyo -and emotional – from the weight of chasing a historic record that no other male player has achieved in the history of the sport seem to weight heavily on the Serb on Saturday as well.

Carreno Busta wins in three sets over an exhausted Djokovic

First, Djokovic was defeated by Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 in the bronze medal match. The Serb, who has a singles bronze medal from the 2008 Beijing Games, looked to struggle in the heat as Carreno Busta played some aggressive tennis to keep the Serb off-balance for a major part of the match.

This was Carreno Busta’s second career win over Djokovic, the first coming at last year’s US Open amid strange circumstances when Djokovic was defualted late in the first set for hitting a ball at a lineswoman in anger during their fourth-round encounter.

Minutes later, Djokovic pulls out of the mixed doubles bronze medal match

WIth his fans still clinging to hopes of a medal in the mixed doubles event, it was anounced that Djokovic and partner Nina Stojanovic had withdrawn from their mixed doubles bronze medal match due to a left shoulder injury for Djokovic.

The withdrawal meant that the Australian pairing of John Peers and Ashleigh Barty won the bronze medal in mixed doubles and that Djokovic would leave Tokyo empty-handed.

Djokovic can still create history at the US Open, if he wins the final Grand Slam of the season. If the 34-year-old Serb wins in New York, he will become the first male player to win the Grand Slam (all four majors in the same year) since Rod Laver in 1969 – and the first since Steffi Graf in 1988.

A US Open win would also mark the 21st Grand Slam singles title for Djokovic, which would give him sole possession of the record for most Grand Slam singles titles in men’s tennis.