Novak Djokovic officially completed his trophy cabinet over the summer, winning Olympic gold to snag the final title that he had never previously claimed.
It marked a huge emotional relief for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who finally put any doubt that shrouded his legendary career to bed.
However, such is the way with this unrelenting winner, he has now moved onto his next challenge, which he will hope to get tied up almost instantly at the US Open.
Tim Henman fears for Novak Djokovic ahead of the US Open
Speaking to Tennis 365, Tim Henman was naturally very optimistic when rating Novak Djokovic’s chances of success in New York.
However, there was also talk of a potential worry he had for the Serbian: ’For us mere mortals, not having matches in the build-up to a big tournament is a problem, but then you look at the greats of the game and it is irrelevant when we talk about a player like Djokovic.
‘Not playing on hard courts ahead of the US Open won’t be a problem to him because he is that good and we have seen in the past that he doesn’t need warm-up matches to play amazing tennis.
‘His experience and confidence on the surface and the knowledge that he is so tough to beat in the best-of-five-set format counts for so much.
‘Also the satisfaction of getting that Olympic gold means he will go into New York with so much energy, enthusiasm and confidence. It might even free him up a little knowing he has that gold medal he wanted so badly now.’
Henman then explained why he is touting two players for the title over the world number one Jannik Sinner, claiming: ’That’s one of the reasons why I would put Alcaraz and Djokovic ahead of Sinner for the US Open at this point.
‘Sinner has those injury doubts and while we know how well he can play when he is at his best, you need to be 100 percent fit to get through two weeks, seven five-set matches. We just don’t know if Sinner is ready for that with this hip problem.’
Chris Evert also made her prediction about Djokovic at the US Open, and what he might do after if he were to win the whole thing.
Will Novak Djokovic win Grand Slam number 25 at the US Open?
It really is impossible to call whether Djokovic will claim his record-breaking 25 Grand Slam title in New York this summer, but it is worth noting that history is not on his side.
Not since 2008 has this title been successfully defended on the men’s side, and that’s without even discussing his 2024 campaign, which has seen him fail to win any of the previous Grand Slams.
The last time that the 37-year-old went a full year without winning a major was in 2017, though, which should provide some comfort for his fanbase.
Set to face stiff competition from Jannik Sinner, who cruised to the title in Cincinnati, as well as stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, Djokovic will have to dig deep to claim a record-breaking triumph in America.
But, if the Olympics taught us anything, it’s that this man really can do it all when history is on the line.
Ahead of the US Open, here’s all you need to know on the 2024 US Open including dates and how to watch in the US.
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