Djokovic Slips to 12th in World Rankings…All of Big 3 Out of Top 10 for First Time in 'About 24 Years'
Djokovic slipped to 12th in the ATP rankings on September 14, dropping out of the top 10. It is the first time in about 24 years that all of the Big 3, including retired Nadal and Federer, stand outside the top 10.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Three-Line Summary
- In the ATP rankings released on September 14, 2026, Djokovic fell 7 places, from 5th to 12th.
- It is the first time since October 2002, about 24 years, that Djokovic, Nadal and Federer are all outside the top 10.
- The match behind the drop was the US Open first round on August 30, which he lost 2-3 to Navone.
On September 14, 2026, this week's ATP men's singles world rankings were released. Novak Djokovic's name sat in the 12th spot. With that, all of the Big 3 now stand outside the top 10. It hasn't happened once in about 24 years, since October 2002.
Djokovic Ranked 12th in the World…195 Points Behind 10th
The Indian Express reports that Djokovic fell from 5th in the rankings released on September 14 to 12th, a drop of 7 places (as of 21:00 on 2026.09.15). AS and SuperTennis explained that his exit from the top 10 is the first since July 2018.
Based on the LiveTennis weekly ranking table, Djokovic has 2,980 points, and he trails No. 10 Taylor Fritz (3,175 points) by 195 points.
| Rank | Player | Points (as of 2026.09.14 release) | Difference from Djokovic (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Alex de Minaur | 3,300 | +320 |
| 10 | Taylor Fritz | 3,175 | +195 |
| 11 | Arthur Fils | 3,150 | +170 |
| 12 | Novak Djokovic | 2,980 | — |
| 13 | Learner Tien | 2,755 | −225 |
Djokovic Out in US Open First Round, First Opening-Round Major Loss in 20 Years
The match that dragged down his ranking was the US Open men's singles first round, held on August 30 local time. US Open and USTA articles show that Djokovic lost to Mariano Navone 2-3 in sets. It was his first first-round exit at a major since the 2006 Australian Open, a gap of 20 years in calendar-year terms. It was also the first time the four-time US Open champion had lost his opening match at the tournament.
The loss came on August 30, and the ranking release confirming his exit from the top 10 came 15 days later, on September 14. Reports by CNN Brasil and Itatiaia that put his previous exit in February 2018 were not followed here.
Big 3 Top-10 Absence of About 24 Years; Distinct From Federer's First Entry in May 2002
Federer left the court after the 2022 Laver Cup, and Nadal after the Davis Cup Finals in November 2024. AS explained that the gap arose once Djokovic, the only one still active, dropped out as well.
| Player | Major singles titles | Tour singles titles | Career prize money (USD, per ATP) | Notable ranking record | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 24 | 101 | 193,252,594 (as of 2026.05.29) | 428 total weeks at No. 1 | Active, 12th |
| Rafael Nadal | 22 | 92 | 134,946,100 (as of 2026.01.02) | 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10 | Retired in November 2024 |
| Roger Federer | 20 | 103 | 130,594,339 (as of 2026.01.02) | 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 | Retired in 2022 |
Some reports, including The Washington Post and AP, said Federer first entered the top 10 in October 2002. The ATP's top-10 record table lists his first entry as May 20, 2002, at No. 8. May is his personal first entry date, while October is cited as the starting point of the combined consecutive stretch for the three players.
Puntodebreak put the last week with all three absent at October 7, 2002, while SuperTennis described October 14 as the boundary. The original ATP tables for those two weeks were not obtained, so the exact date and number of consecutive weeks could not be confirmed. From October 2002 to September 2026 is 23 years and 11 months, so 'about 24 years' is the right expression.
This record was confirmed in the weekly rankings dated September 14. The drop to 12th was cross-reported by several outlets, but the surrounding points in the table could not be checked against the original ATP table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where is Djokovic ranked in the world right now?
He is 12th in the rankings released on September 14, 2026 (as of 21:00 on 2026.09.15). He fell 7 places from 5th, and based on the LiveTennis ranking table he trails No. 10 Taylor Fritz by 195 points.
Q. How much is Djokovic's career prize money?
The ATP's Roland Garros match media notes list 193,252,594 dollars in combined singles and doubles earnings as of May 29, 2026. That is not the total as of September. Prize money for the 2026 season was tallied at 3,035,575 dollars as of September.
Q. Did Federer first enter the top 10 in October 2002?
No. The ATP top-10 record table says he first entered at No. 8 on May 20, 2002. October 2002 is cited as the starting point of the Big 3's consecutive top-10 stretch that has now been broken.
Related Official Sites
- Official ATP Federer player record — check Federer's career results and ranking history
- Official US Open website — check tournament results and match articles
- Official International Tennis Federation website — check international tennis tournament schedules and news
Representative image · Archival photo · Not an on-site photo of the current match in the article · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Andrew Campbell), CC BY 2.0
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