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Back at US Open for first time in 2 years, Novak Djokovic aims to test his fortune at luckless Slam
Since 2019, Djokovic has won 9 Grand Slams - most by any player. But none of them came at the US Open. Can the Serb end his title drought in New York in 2023?
Since the start of 2019, Novak Djokovic has won nine Grand Slam titles - the most by a player in men's singles and four more than second-placed Rafael Nadal. But none of them came at the US Open. He lifted four Australian Open titles, two at Roland Garros and won three Wimbledon trophies. During this period of more than four years, Djokovic thoroughly dominated at the ATP field, as outlined by his stay at the top of the world rankings for 138 weeks, of his total record career tally of 389, which remains the most by any player, male or female, in Open Era. The record, hence, makes it a bit absurd that the Serb has failed to mark his dominance in the final Slam of a calendar year, going trophyless for half a decade.
What adds to Djokovic's bizarre trophy drought at the Flushing Meadows has been his stellar record at US Open. In 17 appearances at the major, the 36-year-old has recorded 81 wins, the third-most by a player at the Open after the legendary Jimmy Connors (98 wins) and Roger Federer (89), both of whom have won five titles during their illustrious career.
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In those 17 appearances, he has at least reached the semi-finals 12 times, 10 of which have come consecutively between 2007 and 2016, the second-most by a player at the US Open after Connors (14). And in nine of those, he made the final, which remains the best-ever by a player at the tournament, winning the trophy thrice in his career.
His first title haul at the Big Apple came in 2011 when he took down second seed Nadal in the final and won his second in 2015 after beating Federer. Djokovic then missed the tournament in 2017 owing to an elbow surgery and then came back the next year to knock down Juan Martin Del Potro in a lopsided final. But despite being the top seed twice over in the next four editions, and having made the final once, the US Open title eluded him.
The luckless run
In 2019, Djokovic, who had just claimed his 16th major at the Wimbledon two months back and was the defending champion on Arthur Ashe, was the overwhelming favourite to claim a fourth title in New York. But during the nail-biting fourth-round meeting against Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic was forced to retire after two sets and a break down. He had incurred a left shoulder injury.
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A year later, in a season struck by the dreaded pandemic, as the US Open staged a spectator-less tournament for the first time in their history, Djokovic found himself in the midst of a most baffling incident ever, thus adding to his controversy-laden career. During the fourth-round meeting with Pablo Carreno Busta, Djokovic casually struck the ball towards the line umpire at the end of a game, which struck her in the throat as she fell on the court immediately. As per the rules, Djokovic had to forfeit the match.
In 2021, Djokovic arrived in New York as an invincible force having won all the first three Slams, including a phenomenal win to dethrone Nadal at the French Open, and stood on the verge of being the first ever player since the evergreen Rod Laver in 1969 to claim a Calendar Grand Slam. The win would have also taken him one clear of Nadal and Federer, both of whom were on 20 Slams, in the all-time major tally. But while he scripted an indomitable run to the final, the pressure of scripting history took the better of him as he went down in straight sets to Daniil Medvedev in the final.
While Djokovic would have expected to get things back in order at the US Open in 2022, the most unfortunate reason denied him the chance at participating in the tournament. Owing to Covid restrictions implemented by the US government, unvaccinated foreigners were not allowed an entry into the country, which hence saw him miss every tournament held in the States.
Love-hate relationship with US crowd
Besides his luckless run since 2018, Djokovic also shares a rather complicated relationship with the US crowd. In 2008, he was booed off the court by the partisan crowd after misinterpreting Andy Roddick's hilarious "fake injury" dig in the post-match interview following their quarterfinal clash. Later in 2015, he had to overcome a hostile atmosphere on Arthur Ashe to beat crowd-favourite Federer in the final.
Yet, when Djokovic needed his fans and the spectators the most, they rallied behind the Serb with mental and emotional support. During that 2021 final against Medvedev, as the 23-time Slam winner stood on the verge of a loss, the crowd looked to cheer him up, leaving Djokovic emotional as he later teared up at the end of the match.
Djokovic had later said: “I felt something I never felt in my life here in New York. The crowd made me very special. They pleasantly surprised me. I did not know, I did not expect anything, but the amount of support and energy and love I got from the crowd was something that I'll remember forever."
Earlier this week, when Djokovic arrived at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the first time since that Covid incident, the Serb received a rapturous welcome from the crowd as a packed stadium caught him gearing up for his 18th US Open appearance.
Who could stop Djokovic at US Open 2023?
In an interaction with media arranged by Sony Sports ahead of the tournament, Somdev Devvarman, Olympian and Former No. 1 India tennis player admitted that even at 36, Djokovic, who arrives in New York fresh off his title in Cincinnati, is redefining greatness and remains hungry and determined for more Grand Slam records. Analysing his draw, Somdev, who will be a panelist on Sony Sports Network's Studio Show 'Extraaa Serve for the US Open', said that he will remain the outright favourite in each of his matches and probably even in the final unless defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who stopped him run in Wimbledon last month, stands on the other side of the net.
"The sole motivation of someone like Djokovic is to extend his Grand Slam record. That is what is all about for him. The guy has won 23 and he still looks so very motivated and hungry. Yes, he is finally showing some signs of slowing down, but he is in incredible shape and he remains the best 36-year-old that tennis has ever seen. He is still pushing new grounds and wants to redefine what greatness is all about. And while looking at his draw one has to wonder can actually stop him. The first threat will be Felix Auger-Aliassime. But that will be in the fourth round. And Felix has his own set of problems and Djokovic will be the overwhelming favourite till that time. Then he has Tsitsipas or Taylor Fritz. Do any of these players have a chance against Djokovic? No. There is also Ruud in the semis probably, against whom he is very comfortable, or it could be Rune, who himself has been complaining of back issues. So Novak is the heavy favourite every single match until he makes the final, with the possibility that Alcaraz is on the other side of the net," he said.
Djokovic will begin his campaign on late Monday night against Frenchman Alexandre Müller on Arthur Ashe.
