The US Open 2024 kicks off on Monday, August 26th

The US Open 2024 kicks off on Monday, August 26th and fans are looking forward to seeing the final Grand Slam of the season. One of the most anticipated players in New York is certainly Novak Djokovic, who will try to defend his title won last year (when he defeated the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final).Novak Djokovic, 2024 Paris Olympics© Stream screenshot

The former world number 1 wants to claim his 25th Grand Slam title, but it won’t be easy to win at Flushing Meadows. The Serbian champion has not played a tournament on the hard court since the Indian Wells Masters 1000 and took a rest period after winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Winning the gold medal in Paris, the 37-year-old from Belgrade completed the puzzle and realized one of his greatest dreams. Novak has not yet won a Major this year and was defeated by young Spaniard champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Nole is considered the second favourite of bookmakers behind Carlitos Alcaraz but ahead of Jannik Sinner, who has had some physical problems recently and was shocked by the doping case (in which he was found innocent by ITIA).

Djokovic will make his debut on Monday

Djokovic will make his debut in New York against Radu Albot, a Moldovan man coming from the qualifying round. The main opponents in his draw split are Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev, Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud. Novak Djokovic arrived in New York several days ago and started practicing with great intensity. The 24-time Grand Slam champion also attended an event at Arthur Ashe Stadium and looked ready and motivated for the final Major of the season.

During the latest edition of the AO Show’s The Sit-Down podcast, former ATP ace Michael Chang paid tribute to Nole: “I’m not sure Novak’s going to stop yet, actually. Actually I don’t think he’s going to ever stop. What he’s done is just absolutely incredible. We’ve had this generation of players; Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal is winding his career down, Andy just retired, Serena retired not that long ago. I mean, you’ve got these incredible players.

And thankfully, we’ve got great young talent that are able to take their place, and they’re doing a great job. I mean, how can you not enjoy watching Alcaraz out there? He’s winning, but he’s smiling at the same time. Jannik Sinner is just an incredible talent, very humble, and has got all the different kinds of shots. So how do you not enjoy watching this new generation kind of grow and mature and really start to take their place?”

Nole is very relaxed

Recently, Djokovic has confessed that he would like to continue playing for many more years and that he would also like to participate in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Before the start of the 2024 US Open, some tennis players – including Nole Djokovic, Elena Rybakina, Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz had fun playing pickleball in front of American legend John McEnroe.

The Serbian champion has also been playing with former Argentine player Juan Martin del Potro on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Argentine – who won the US Open in 2009 – said he was moved when Nole won the gold medal in Paris: “Djokovic moved me on the day of the final, when he won the gold medal. It was the first time I cried for a tennis match. I have a very close relationship with him, I was very moved because I knew how badly he wanted to win that gold medal. Before the tournament started, I remember he made a video passing in front of the medals, begging to win it. He completed the puzzle.”

Hardly anyone thought that the Serbian legend would be able to beat Alcaraz in the final of the Paris Olympics, especially after the result of the Wimbledon Championships. Novak has shown exceptional mental strength, which makes him one of the best athletes ever.

After the Olympic final, Carlitos paid tribute to the Big 3: “There is one detail that defines them, it is how hard they work. People believing when you are on top of any sport, it is [due to] talents and skills. But what would define (them) is they work harder than the other ones, they prepare better than the other ones. They are the best. They are never satisfied, and how they accept the defeats, and how they accept during the games that they are playing bad. I think they can because they work harder than the other ones.”