On Monday, as the sold-out crowd roared on Rafael Nadal in potentially his final battle on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Novak Djokovic was in an unusual position. For him, anyway. Usually, the world No 1 would be up the other end, walloping back another backhand or sprinting to a whipped Nadal forehand. But not this year and, by the end of 2024, Djokovic is likely to be the final member of the “big four” standing.
The Serb was in the stands during Nadal’s loss to Alexander Zverev – alongside the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek – watching the end of an era with the 14-time champion’s likely farewell from the French Open.
