US Open. The Grand Slam, a 21st title, the status of the best player of all time… Djokovic will play the tournament of his life at Flushing.
If he wins the US Open, which starts on Monday, Novak Djokovic can become the indisputable GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) of tennis, bringing the record for major titles to 21 with the added bonus , the Grand Slam over one season.
More than seven consecutive victories over the New York cement and the world No. 1, already in the Hall of Fame of his sport, will finally be able to demonstrate his superiority over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he who had already said he was “consider the best” after his sixth coronation at Wimbledon in July.
Especially since the 40-year-old Swiss and the 35-year-old Spaniard, who are still challenging this status with each twenty Grand Slams on the prize list, will be absent. The first because of a recalcitrant knee which forced him to yet another operation, leaving doubt about the rest of his career, the second because of a foot injury.
But are these champions, with whom he has been waging a fierce battle for the history books for almost fifteen years, still only his main rivals? Except on Parisian clay where Nadal, 13 times crowned, ended up falling from his throne in the spring, after an epic semi-final against “Nole”, the gap seems to be widening. The 34-year-old Serb is now faced with a succession that has ten fewer, called to reign on the courts in the more or less short term.
“He can do it”
This competition is first embodied by Alexander Zverev: the fit man of the summer won Olympic gold in Tokyo, after having blocked his way in the semi-finals, and has just won the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. “I am extremely hungry. I am not satisfied”, warned the German, 4th in the world, who could stand in his way in the semifinals. He touched his first Major in New York last year, but Dominic Thiem knocked him down in the final. The Austrian, injured, will not defend his title. Russian Daniil Medvedev (N.2), powerless against Djokovic in the Australian Open final, Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (N.3) disgusted on the last step of Roland-Garros, Russian Andrey Rublev (N. 7), and even the Italian Matteo Berretini (N.8), vain resistant to Wimbledon, also dream of depriving him of a historic feat, while no one since Rod Laver in 1969 has managed to achieve the Grand Slam the same year.
“What Novak has accomplished this year is something extraordinary. I really believe he can do it. He’s done 75% of the way. He’s going to play hard, probably his best surface. He’s the big favorite.”, said Nadal in early August. “The pressure is still huge this time. But I’m used to it. It’s not the first time. And the pressure, well it’s a privilege. We work every day of our lives to get to this, to win a Grand Slam and make history “, said Djoko.
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