Novak Djokovic, fueled by his emotional Olympic Games victory, is aiming to set new Grand Slam records at the US Open, which begins on Monday. As he prepares for the tournament, his title rival, Jannik Sinner, arrives in New York under scrutiny due to questions surrounding two positive drug tests.
The 37-year-old Djokovic, who is the defending champion, has the chance to become the oldest champion in the Open era if he clinches a fifth title, a record he would share with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer. A win would also bring Djokovic’s Grand Slam total to 25, surpassing the 24 titles he currently shares with Margaret Court.
This year’s US Open comes at a pivotal moment for Djokovic. Earlier in the year, Jannik Sinner dethroned him as the Australian Open champion and took over his world number one ranking. Carlos Alcaraz claimed Djokovic’s French Open title and later dominated him in the Wimbledon final.
However, Djokovic made a remarkable comeback at the Olympics, defeating Alcaraz in the final on the clay courts of Roland Garros. His emotional victory in Paris not only silenced critics who doubted his future in the sport but also allowed him to join the elite group of players who have achieved a career Golden Slam, winning all four majors and Olympic gold. Djokovic described this Olympic triumph as his “biggest sporting success,” marking the 99th title of his professional career.
