NewsHK
Against the backdrop of a 23-year American absence from the Grand Slam winner's circle, Novak Djokovic's defeat at the US Open has shifted the competitive character of the remaining draw.
His loss is being characterized as one that "certainly opens the door" for an American man to win a major title. Andy Roddick is the last American man to have claimed a Grand Slam title.
That marker, 23 years back, gives Djokovic's exit its particular weight at a tournament held on American soil. The pattern when Djokovic exits a major draw is a consistent one.
His presence concentrates expectation around a single outcome. When he goes out, the field opens in a way it does not open otherwise.
Keep reading