Novak Djokovic's subpar 2024 season highlighted by bizarre statistic, indicating imminent decline

The era of the Big Three appears to be nearing it's end, with Rafael Nadal retiring and Novak Djokovic opting to participate at only select events. The Serbian tennis superstar failed to win a Grand Slam title in 2024, after winning three Major titles during the 2023 season.

The former World No.1 reached the semifinals of the 2024 Australian Open, but fell to Italian star Jannik Sinner. Djokovic would go on to reach the 2024 Wimbledon final, but was soundly defeated by Carlos Alcaraz. This led many to believe the 37-year old was starting to decline due to his lack of success at Grand Slam events this season.

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Unique statistic highlights Djokovic's poor play this year

The 24-time Grand Slam champion struggled to deliver his standard high level of play during several matches this season, leading to some unexpected losses. Being considered the best returner in the game, it was revealed that Djokovic played four matches this year in which he did not earn a single break point.

Djokovic's return woes were first noticed during his United Cup encounter against Australian Alex De Minaur. The Serbian lost the match without having a break point, and would encounter the same fate when he fell to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the Australian Open a few weeks later.

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The trend would carry over to the clay courts, as Djokovic was stunned in a shocking upset by Alejandro Tabilo during the Rome Masters. The Canadian outplayed his Serbian opponent to record a 6-2 6-3 victory, scoring the biggest win of his career. During this encounter, Djokovic failed to record a single break point.

During the Shanghai Masters, the Serbian superstar reached the final following an impressive performance. However, he was defeated once again by Sinner, as the young Italian denied Djokovic any break point opportunities before racing away with the victory.

Djokovic will turn 38 in 2025, and whether or not he adds another Grand Slam title to his name is uncertain. However, the Belgrade native still has his self-belief and the desire to win, which makes him a favorite at every tournament.