Novak Djokovic is back at tennis’ top table, hoping to make more history at the US Open.
Djokovic, 37, became just the fifth player to claim the sport’s ‘golden slam’, following in the footsteps of Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, by winning a gold medal in Paris earlier this month.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the Men’s Singles Gold Medal match on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros Stadium during the Paris 2024 Olympics Games on August 4, 2024, in Paris, France. AFP7 04/08/2024 (Europea Press via AP)
Image: Novak Djokovic celebrates winning Olympic gold in Paris 2024, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Roland Garros.
The Serb is now chasing his 25th Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows, which would break his existing 24-year tie with Australia’s Margaret Court.
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Of all the mountains Djokovic has climbed, this is undoubtedly the final one before he has physically completed tennis. And it was exceedingly implausible for much of 2024.
He went winless for the first half of the season, surrendering his world number one status to Jannik Sinner, who followed up his first grand slam victory at the Australian Open with a win at the Miami Open.
Sinner defeated Djokovic in the semi-finals in Melbourne, giving him three wins in four over the ageing tennis great.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic receives medical attention for his right knee during his fourth round match of the French Open tennis event against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo on Monday, June 3, 2024, at Paris’ Roland Garros stadium.
Novak Djokovic suffered a knee injury in the quarter-finals of the French Open, ending his run.
Add to that Djokovic’s knee injury, which cut short his quarter-final run at the French Open, and the ease with which Carlos Alcaraz defeated him in straight sets in the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row, and you’d be forgiven for thinking there was a changing of the guard and that another one of men’s tennis’ ‘big four’ was on his way out.
But one thing has been clear throughout the two decades in which Djokovic, the now-retired Roger Federer and Andy Murray, and the creaking Rafael Nadal dominated the sport: ‘never write Djokovic off’.
Britain’s Andy Murray waves to the Centre Court crowd as he leaves the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Thursday, July 4, 2024, following his first-round doubles loss.
Novak Djokovic wished Andy Murray the best possible farewell and revealed how long he believes he has left in tennis.
A scant three weeks after being hammered by Alcaraz in his near-spiritual home of SW19, where he has won seven of his 24 slams, Djokovic delivered a remarkable performance on the Roland Garros clay to get revenge on the Spaniard, sparking wild and emotional celebrations.
“It was the missing piece of the puzzle, and at the age of 37, this was his last chance,” Sky Sports’ Tim Henman explained.
“The whole sort of psychology and the pressure around it, it must have been absolutely immense, and then add the fact that he was playing Alcaraz, who is at the top of his game, for Djokovic to come through and win that was absolutely incredible.”
Despite the evident relief and excitement that his Olympic victory brought with it, there is no imminent prospect of retirement.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain carries a trophy after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the gentlemen’s singles final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 14, 2024, at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, UK. Carlos Alcaraz defeated his opponent for the second time in a row.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year, this time in straight sets.
After Wimbledon, Djokovic declared, “I have no restrictions in my head. I still want to keep playing as long as I believe I can play at this level.”
Then, during Serbia’s celebration of their Olympic medallists, he hinted at competing till he was 41 in the hopes of defending his gold title.
“I’ll try to make it to Los Angeles,” he told me.
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Given the knee injury that derailed his year and further niggles that will inevitably creep in over time, that may be pushing what’s physically possible, but let’s say it again: ‘never write Djokovic off’.
“People forget quickly that Djokovic won three grand slams last year,” Sky Sports’ Jonathan Overend stated.
“He’s 37, but he just played one of the best matches of his life to win the Olympics, so he may not be going anywhere just yet.
Novak Djokovic wins men’s singles at the Paris Olympics.
Novak Djokovic wins gold medal in men’s singles at Paris Olympics. “He continues to surprise, and anything is possible.”
“That said, I always think he’s got a mic-drop moment in him [to retire], and that might be when he gets to 25 Grand Slams to claim the all-time record, one ahead of Margaret Court.”
It would be a fitting way to retire, but he must first get there, and Djokovic arrives at Flushing Meadows with no recent hard-court matches under his belt, having skipped the Cincinnati Open following his Olympic exploits.
Sinner wowed by winning the warm-up championship, Alcaraz is a former US Open winner in 2022, Alexander Zverev is a former finalist and in good form in 2024, and is Djokovic possibly a little undercooked?
Maybe, but ‘never write Djokovic off’.
