He couldn't lose they said. He had won thirty straight matches at all Grand Slams, a record in the Open Era. This was the year he would complete the Golden Slam, all four Grand Slams in a calendar year, they said.

Someone forgot to pass on that memo to 28-year old Sam Querrey, ranked forty places beneath Novak Djokovic.

The last time the World No. 1 had lost this early in a Grand Slam was in 2009 when Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated him in the third round of the French Open. But Querrey had other ideas when his third round match started on Thursday. He took the first set to a tie-breaker and then won.

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But it was the way he won the second set which caused a few flutters on No 1. Court – an unbelievably below-par Djokovic was hammered 6-1 as the American took a two-set lead.

Djokovic needed a break. And the heavens listened to him. The match was called off due to rain. When it was resumed on Friday, Djokovic looked like he had regained some of his momentum, winning the third set 6-3.

But in a fourth set interrupted by three rain delays, the biggest upset of men's tennis this year took place. Querrey gathered all his strength and went toe-to-toe with Djokovic in a see-saw set which went 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, before he finally led 6-5. But the old warhorse struck back to make it 6-6 and take it to a tie-breaker. Unfortunately for him, Querrey took the tie-breaker to set off wild celebrations and much consternation all around the tennis world.