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Xtra Time Web Desk: The US Open saw two major upsets as reigning champions Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic were both eliminated in early rounds, signaling a dramatic shift in the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz, the French Open and Wimbledon champion, had his 15-match Grand Slam winning streak snapped in the second round by unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Alcaraz struggled with unforced errors and a shaky start, losing 6-1, 7-5, 6-4. Despite brief moments of brilliance, including a tactical shift in the second set, Alcaraz couldn’t overcome Van de Zandschulp's strong baseline play and composure under pressure. "I believed from the start that I had a chance," Van de Zandschulp said after the match.

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Following Alcaraz's exit, Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 seed and defending champion, was stunned in the third round by Australia's Alexei Popyrin. Djokovic, who aimed to become the first player to win 25 Grand Slam singles titles, was defeated 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Struggling with fatigue and 14 double faults, Djokovic's performance was far from his usual standard. Popyrin, ranked 28th, capitalized on Djokovic's errors, playing aggressively and breaking the Serbian five times. The loss marked the first time since 2017 that Djokovic finished a year without a major title.

The early exits of both Alcaraz and Djokovic leave the tournament wide open, marking 2024 as the first year since 2002 where none of the Big Three—Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—claimed a Grand Slam title. Their defeats suggest a possible changing of the guard in men’s tennis, opening the door for new champions to emerge.

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A New Era at the US Open?

The back-to-back defeats of Alcaraz and Djokovic signal a potential shift in the landscape of men’s tennis, as both reigning champions exit the US Open much earlier than anticipated. Their eliminations leave the door wide open for other contenders and raise questions about the future of the sport's traditional powerhouses.

For Alcaraz, this loss ends a remarkable run and serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of Grand Slam tennis. For Djokovic, it marks a rare year without a major title and perhaps a sign of the physical toll of competing at the highest level for so long. As both champions bow out, the US Open is now poised for new narratives and potentially a new champion, signaling a changing of the guard in men’s tennis.