Djokovic’s dream year won’t include Davis Cup title

Winning the Davis Cup title for Serbia last year was the catalyst for Novak Djokovic to go on to have one of the best seasons any male player has ever had.

But the newly-crowned US Open champion, who also won Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year, was forced to retire from his match against Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals giving Argentina a insurmountable 3-1 lead.

The back pain that flared up during the US Open final on Monday against Rafael Nadal resulted in Novak not even able to play his first match on Friday.

I feel disappointed to end this tie this way,” Djokovic said later. “My condition was 60 percent of what I had expected.”

Argentina will play Spain away in the final, after Nadal demolished Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 for a 3-1 lead against France in the other semifinal.