Fueled by his emotional triumph at the Olympic Games, Novak Djokovic is aiming for new Grand Slam records at the US Open, starting Monday. The defending champion has a chance to become the oldest player in the Open era to win the tournament, matching the five-title record of Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer.
A victory would also push Djokovic to 25 Grand Slam titles, surpassing the 24 he currently shares with Margaret Court.
This year has been pivotal for Djokovic. He was dethroned as Australian Open champion by Jannik Sinner, who also took over his world number one ranking. Carlos Alcaraz defeated him at the French Open and then won a one-sided Wimbledon final against him. Despite these setbacks, Djokovic made a stunning return by defeating Alcaraz in the Olympic final, capturing his fifth career Golden Slam by winning all four major titles and Olympic gold.
The Olympic win, described by Djokovic as his “biggest sporting success,” was also his 99th career title. At 37, he views this achievement as a major milestone, especially against the backdrop of his recent knee surgery and the rising stars of the sport like Sinner and Alcaraz.
Sinner, having recently won the Cincinnati Masters, arrives at the US Open under scrutiny due to questions about two positive drug tests.
However, Sinner’s triumph was soon overshadowed by controversy. It was revealed that he had been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic substance. Although Sinner tested positive, he avoided a lengthy ban after officials accepted his claim that the contamination resulted from exposure via a support team member.
“I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me,” Sinner stated. The decision to clear him was criticized by Australian player Nick Kyrgios as “ridiculous.”
Carlos Alcaraz, who won his first major at the US Open in 2022, was deeply affected by his loss to Djokovic in the Olympic final. He was visibly upset on court and admitted he felt he had “let Spain down.” His preparation for the US Open was further disrupted by a second-round exit in Cincinnati to Gael Monfils, during which Alcaraz smashed his racquet in frustration, calling the defeat the “worst match” of his career.
In the women’s singles, defending champion Coco Gauff has experienced a troubling decline in form. Her early exit from the Olympics and losses in Toronto and Cincinnati have raised concerns. Since Serena Williams last defended her title in 2014, no woman has successfully done so at the US Open.
Five-time major winner and world number one Iga Swiatek, the 2022 US Open champion, reached the Cincinnati semi-finals but was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was runner-up to Gauff at the US Open last year, losing from a set up in the final.
