Online Reporter
NOVAK Djokovic hopes a selective approach to his scheduling will give him the best chance to win the US Open tennis title in his unrelenting pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has not played since a comprehensive semi-final defeat by Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon last month, skipping the two main US Open warm-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati.
He briefly returned to court on Tuesday for the revamped mixed doubles in New York, but lasted just 43 minutes as he and partner Olga Danilovic crashed out in the first round.
A four-time US Open champion, Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2017 when he lost to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round of last year’s tournament. He won his 100th ATP title in Geneva this May on the eve of Roland Garros, but found his path blocked by Sinner at both Paris and Wimbledon.
Djokovic has reached the final just once at the last seven majors since equalling Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles at the 2023 US Open.
Sinner (four) and Carlos Alcaraz (three) have combined to sweep every ensuing Grand Slam, leaving Djokovic on the outside looking in and with time working against him in his bid for history.
“I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams,” Djokovic said after his Wimbledon loss.
“Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most.”
But he has twice been compromised by injury this year in a Grand Slam semi-final.
A hamstring tear forced him to retire against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open before a hip and thigh issue hampered him in London.
“It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest,” said Djokovic.
“It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.
“But I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets. I reach the final stages, I reached the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.
“These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that.” — AFP Sport.
