Serbia, sans Novak Djokovic, has been ousted from the 2024 Davis Cup during the qualifying rounds.

Serbia has been eliminated from the 2024 Davis Cup in the absence of Novak Djokovic. The team, led by Miomir Kecmanocvic and Dusan Lajovic, faced defeat in both singles and doubles against Slovakia, sealing their exit from the tournament. With the series decided, Serbia will not progress to the next phase.

Notably, the team lacked the participation of world No. 1, Novak Djokovic, who recently experienced a semifinal loss at the Australian Open and is now gearing up for his return in the Sunshine Double. The 24-time Grand Slam champion had expressed his desire to win the Davis Cup again with his country before retirement, a goal that won’t be achievable in 2024.

Just six weeks prior, Serbia was contending in the Davis Cup semifinals, ultimately losing to the eventual champion, Italy. Jannik Sinner’s remarkable performance, overcoming Djokovic and saving three match points, played a pivotal role in Italy’s success.

Djokovic had previously voiced his disappointment at coming so close to securing the Davis Cup title for his country but falling short, stating, “I really would like to win the Davis Cup with Serbia. That’s a goal,” as he expressed last year.

In the initial match, Lukas Klein from Slovakia, ranked 142nd, secured a victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, who holds the 40th position, with a scoreline of 7-6(2), 6-2. In the second encounter, Dusan Lajovic (No. 53) sought to level the series for Serbia, but Alex Molcan (No. 122) delivered a memorable performance, making a comeback from a set down and ultimately winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.