Novak Djokovic finally got his hands on an Olympic gold medal to complete the career Golden Slam in Paris but the Serb faces the prospect of being shut out of the Grand Slams for the first time since 2017, as he gears up for his US Open title defence.
Djokovic, 37, who will once again bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, has been upstaged by younger rivals this season, losing to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals and Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Djokovic — who withdrew from his French Open quarterfinal due to a knee injury — last played all four majors in a season without winning one 14 years ago. But recent form suggests he’s getting back to his best, with the Serb beating French Open champion Alcaraz in the Paris Games final at Roland Garros.
Djokovic has since opted out of US Open tune-up tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati to recharge his batteries before attempting to move past Margaret Court and take sole possession of the all-time Grand Slam record. “I think if he can find the motivation, the gold medal will lift him. If he plays like this, he’s the man to beat at the US Open,” his former coach Goran Ivanisevic said.
“I’m so glad he finally won the Olympic gold. I wish him a 25th Grand Slam, to break the absolute record, and then he can retire, although he’ll never retire.”
Alcaraz arrives in New York slightly undercooked on hardcourts, and hopes to erase Friday’s racket-smashing defeat by French veteran Gael Monfils in the Cincinnati second round. “I felt it was the worst match I ever played in my career,” he said of the 4-6 7-6(5) 6-4 loss. “I want to forget it, and try to move on to New York.”
Also standing in Djokovic’s way could be 23-year-old world No 1 Sinner, who won his first major title earlier this season after dethroning the Serb at the Australian Open.
The Italian has struggled with a lingering hip issue, but peaked in time for the US Open by winning the Cincinnati crown. “I’m just trying to keep going mentally, having this hunger to keep playing, and hopefully I can show some good tennis in New York,” he said.
Sinner heads into the tournament amid controversy, having failed two drug tests in March but cleared of wrongdoing by an independent tribunal after it accepted his explanation that an anabolic agent entered his system from a member of his support team through massages and sports therapy.
World No 4 Alexander Zverev will continue his quest to claim a maiden major, as will sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev and eighth-ranked Casper Ruud.
Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 champion, will need to shake off a run of poor form if he is to mount a challenge.
American Coco Gauff begins her US Open title defence on Arthur Ashe Stadium tomorrow, headlining a wide open women’s field that includes world No 1 Iga Swiatek and last year’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff, who plays France’s Varvara Gracheva in the opening round, hopes to put a series of frustrating performances behind her — including early exits from Toronto and Cincinnati — to recapture the magic of her run to a maiden major title. “It was a blessing in disguise I lost so early (in Cincinnati], because I was able to actually train, which I hadn’t been able to,” she said.
Gauff could meet Sabalenka in the semifinals, with the Belarusian hungry for the trophy after coming close but never quite getting the title within her grasp. She reached at least the semifinal stage of the tournament over the last three years, and has learned lessons from tough defeats in New York. “Those tough losses definitely motivated me a lot to work hard and to improve,” said Sabalenka.
After retaining her title in Australia, Sabalenka endured a rough mid-year stretch as she suffered a back injury and skipped Wimbledon with a shoulder injury. She closes out Monday night’s programme on Louis Armstrong Stadium against Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon.
Poland’s Swiatek hopes to add another title to a memorable year, after she picked up her fifth major at the French Open and won in Qatar, Indian Wells, Madrid and Rome as well. She picked up bronze at the Paris Games.
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