Novak Djokovic, riding the emotional wave of his Olympic Games triumph, sets his sights on new Grand Slam records at the US Open, starting Monday. However, the tournament comes with a shadow cast over his rival, Jannik Sinner, who arrives in New York mired in controversy following two positive drug tests.
Djokovic, at 37, has a chance to etch his name in history by becoming the oldest Open Era champion at the US Open. A fifth title would tie him with legends Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer. More importantly, he could surpass Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam wins by reaching 25. This year, Djokovic has faced a formidable challenge from the younger generation, losing his Australian Open crown to Sinner, who also dethroned him from the world number one ranking. Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open champion, then dominated Djokovic in a one-sided Wimbledon final. However, Djokovic, in a remarkable comeback, stunned Alcaraz in the Olympic final on the clay courts of Roland Garros. This emotional victory secured him the career Golden Slam – all four majors and Olympic gold – making him only the fifth player to achieve this feat. It also silenced the doubters who questioned his ability in an era dominated by the rising stars, Sinner and Alcaraz.
Djokovic, who underwent knee surgery in June, considers his Olympic victory his “biggest sporting success,” adding it to his already impressive 99 career titles. “At the age of 37 and facing a 21-year-old who is probably the best player in the world right now, winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back, I can say that this is probably the biggest sporting success I have ever had,” Djokovic declared.
Meanwhile, Sinner arrives at the final Slam of the year fresh off his Cincinnati Masters triumph. However, the victory was overshadowed by the revelation of two positive drug tests earlier in the season. The tests revealed the presence of clostebol, a banned anabolic agent, but Sinner was cleared of any wrongdoing after officials accepted his explanation of contamination from a support team member. Sinner commented, “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me.” This decision, however, was met with criticism from Australian player Nick Kyrgios, who deemed it “ridiculous.”
Alcaraz, the 2022 US Open champion, suffered a crushing defeat to Djokovic in the Olympic final, breaking down in tears and admitting he felt he had “let Spain down.” His preparation for New York was further hampered by a second-round exit in Cincinnati to Gael Monfils, a match that saw the usually composed Alcaraz smashing his racquet in frustration. He described the defeat as the “worst match” of his career.
In the women’s singles, defending champion Coco Gauff, at 20 years old, faces a challenging US Open, having struggled in recent weeks. An early exit from the Olympics was followed by disappointing losses in Toronto and Cincinnati. Gauff will need to regain her form if she hopes to become the first woman to successfully defend her US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014. Five-time major winner and world number one Iga Świątek, the 2022 champion in New York, reached the Cincinnati semi-finals before falling to Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was the runner-up to Gauff at the US Open last year, losing from a set up in the final. The US Open promises to be a thrilling showdown with Djokovic aiming for Grand Slam history, Sinner facing a test of his resilience, and the next generation of stars eager to claim their own titles.
