Novak Djokovic has issued a fitness update that his fans will be very pleased to hear.
The 37-year-old spent some time at home enjoying his Olympics victory over Carlos Alcaraz on August 4.
Now refreshed, he is in New York ready to try and win a record 25thth Grand Slam title and join Roger Federer and Pete Sampras on five US Open wins.
Novak Djokovic had been hampered by a knee injury this summer after tearing the meniscus in his right knee at the French Open.
But after overcoming that obstacle superbly, he is a top contender to triumph at Flushing Meadows once again.
What did Novak Djokovic say about his fitness ahead of the US Open?
Less than a month after undergoing knee surgery, Djokovic competed at Wimbledon and reached the final.
Though he lost to Alcaraz in the championship match, the World number two was happy with how his knee held up playing at the highest level so soon after his operation.
He has had no setbacks since and ahead of the US Open, Djokovic suggested he may stop wearing his knee strap.
“I haven’t been feeling any pain functionally on the court, which is what I care about the most to be honest. It’s good news. It’s not bothering me,” he told ESPN.
“I have the strap for precautionary measures to be honest, because I just came in late afternoon to the States and had my first training session.
“When you are jet lagged your body is a bit confused over where you are and what’s going on so it takes a few days time for the joints and ligaments and muscles to function properly.
“That’s why I have the strap, not because I have pain but because I wanted to warm it up before training. There is a good chance I will play without it at the tournament here at the US Open.”
Who is Novak Djokovic practicing with ahead of the US Open?
On Wednesday, Djokovic practiced with 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro inside Arthur Ashe stadium.
They enjoyed hitting with one another and the Argentine told ESPN how he felt watching Djokovic win the Olympic gold medal.
“He made me cry the other day when he won the gold medal. It was the first tennis match that I cried,” Del Potro said. “I was very emotional, I have a very close relationship with him. I know how much he wanted to win that gold medal.”
On Thursday, Djokovic is due to practice with 2020 US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev. The German is still searching for his first Grand Slam title.
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