Trouble might be en route for Novak Djokovic and it won’t be a pretty picture if those possibilities come to life. After mustering the best of his abilities to clinch the elusive gold at the Paris Olympics, Nole has tasked himself with another adventure. The Serbian superstar is slated to participate in the 2024 US Open. However, there might be a slight hiccup that hinders his performance and disables him from defending his title in New York.

Earlier this season, the Serb endured a knee injury wherein he sustained a torn meniscus while marking his attendance at the French Open. He later went through a corrective surgery to remedy the issue. Though Djokovic’s knee treatment responded well and prompted him to perform at Wimbledon and at the Summer Olympics, he wore a knee brace as a preventive measure during those outings. While it was ascertained that physical troubles are past Nole owing to his impressive performances, an alarming update might trouble fans.

Ahead of his Flushing Meadows campaign, the Serbian attended practice sessions without wearing any knee brace. However, as he took to the Arthur Ashe Stadium to engage in a friendly rally with Juan Martin Del Potro, the New York crowd witnessed him wearing a similar compression sleeve. This, in turn, might be troubling. If the 37-year-old is experiencing discomfort in the impacted area, chances are he might withdraw from the event, or worse, potentially sustain another injury.

This, in turn, won’t do any favors to the Serb. Having collected every accolade the sport has on offer, Nole is now chasing ghosts. Though he is looking to break Margaret Court‘s 24 GS title record in NY, if an injury hiatus comes into play, there’s a possibility fans won’t see him returning to the courts again.

Even if Nole is injured, he will likely recover in time for the main draw. The slated recovery time for his meniscus surgery was 3 weeks, which meant he would not have had time to prepare for Wimbledon and could have missed the grass slam. However, two weeks prior to Wimbledon, Djokovic was on the grass courts, practicng for the tournament, and even ran to the final. Chances are, if he is injured now, he will find a way to recover at the speed of light.

Injury or no injury, Nole is having a splendid time at the minute. At the Flushing Meadows arena, Djokovic indulged the American crowd with hilarious on-court moments.

Novak Djokovic battles with Andre Agassi at the US Open’s exhibition event

If anyone knows how to captivate tennis fans, it’s the Djoker. It is safe to say that players can lessons from the Serb on how to electrify the crowd. The former World No. 1 magnetic on-court demeanor has yet again worked its magic at the US Open.

Ahead of the hardcourt major’s commencement, Nole partook in an exhibition event wherein he partnered with John McEnroe to take on Carlos Alcaraz and Andre Agassi. During the friendly showdown, the Serb entered into a crosscourt backhand-to-backhand rally with former World No. 1 Agassi, hilariously ousting McEnroe and Alcaraz from the rally.

The 37-year-old has been making rounds in New York all week. Enjoying his status as the crowd favorite, it will be riveting to witness the Serb’s breathtaking performances against the likes of Spaniard Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev.