Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic is on the verge of making history at the US Open, aiming to become the first man in 16 years to successfully defend his title while pursuing several significant records.
Djokovic, the second seed, is set to begin his campaign on Monday night against Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot. At 37, Djokovic is close to joining tennis legends like Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer as one of the oldest US Open champions. A win would also give him the outright record for the most Grand Slam titles, surpassing the current joint record of 24 titles held with Australian great Margaret Court.
A victory at this year’s US Open would be the first time since Federer’s five consecutive wins from 2004 to 2008 that a man has repeated as champion in New York. Djokovic remarked, “I didn’t realize it had been so long. Hopefully, that changes this year. That’s the goal.”
Winning the US Open would also extend Djokovic’s streak of years with at least one Grand Slam title to seven, having missed out on majors only once from 2011 to 2023.
This year has seen the rise of new stars, with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz aiming for a third straight Grand Slam after triumphs at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and Italy’s Jannik Sinner winning the Australian Open and rising to the top of the rankings. With Federer retired and Rafael Nadal dealing with injuries, Djokovic draws motivation from his rivalries with Alcaraz and Sinner.
“The rivalries with Jannik and Carlos bring excitement to the competition and push me to refine my game,” Djokovic said. Despite having achieved nearly everything, including an Olympic gold medal, he remains focused on adding to his legacy.
Reflecting on his Olympic success, Djokovic described the medal ceremony as “perhaps the most intense emotions I’ve ever experienced on a tennis court.” He added, “The moment of achieving it, the manner in which it happened, and the journey make it all the more special.”
As he aims for another Grand Slam title to conclude the season, Djokovic underscores the significance of these tournaments: “Grand Slams are the pinnacle of tennis history. If you’re not inspired to perform your best here, it’s challenging to do so anywhere else.”
