Novak Djokovic Breaks Two Rackets In Loss, Withdraws From Mixed Doubles Medal Match

Novak Djokovic is leaving Tokyo without a medal after the world No. 1 and reigning Australian Open, Wimbledon and French Open champion lost his bronze medal singles match to Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday.

Djokovic then withdrew from a bronze medal mixed doubles match that was scheduled shortly after his singles loss, citing a left shoulder injury, Yahoo Sports reports. Details of the injury were not immediately clear.

Djokovic's withdrawal meant that Australia's Ash Barty and John Peers won bronze by default, while his Serbian playing partner Nina Stojanović lost a chance to play for an Olympic medal.

Pablo Carreno Busta recorded his first-career victory over Novak Djokovic in the completed singles match to deliver the men’s singles bronze medal for Spain.

Djokovic appeared worn down by both the Tokyo heat and the emotional and physical toll of semi-final defeats in both singles and mixed doubles on Friday, the Spaniard was exceptional in a 6-4 6-7(6) 6-3 victory.

Carreno Busta edged the opening set with a solitary break and brought up a match point at 6-5 in the second set tie-break when Djokovic dragged a backhand into the tramlines, and Djokovic thumped a first serve out wide and promptly won the next two points.

But Djokovic lost both his focus and his cool as he gained momentum.

He lobbed his racket high into the empty stands after being out-rallied during a lengthy and later smashed his racket into the Olympic rings on the net, which did merit a warning, as Carreno Busta pulled ahead for 3-0.

Despite the loss, Djokovic insisted he didn't regret competing for gold on two fronts in Tokyo and said the back-to-back defeats to Alexander Zverev and Pablo Carreno Busta would fuel him to greater heights.

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