Home ›› 30 Aug 2021 ›› Sport
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will try to complete the first calendar-year men’s singles Grand Slam in 52 years and become the all-time men’s leader in Slam titles by capturing the US Open.
Not since Rod Laver in 1969 has the feat been achieved and the chance at tennis history has fueled Djokovic’s fire to finish the 2021 sweep.
“I know how big of an opportunity is in front of me,” the Serbian star said. “I’m very motivated to play my best tennis. I’m hugely inspired and motivated by that, no doubt.”
Five past champions won’t be in the field when the showdown begins Monday on the hardcourts at Flushing Meadows, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Juan Martin del Potro and 2020 winner Dominic Thiem absent due to injuries.
That leaves the main obstacles in Djokovic’s path to a 21st career Slam crown as a set of rising 20-something talents trying to build their trophy hauls -- Russia’s second-ranked Daniil Medvedev, Greece’s third-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas and fourth-ranked Olympic champion Alexander Zverev of Germany.
The roots of Djokovic’s amazing 2021 run were in last year’s US Open, where he was defaulted out of the tournament in the fourth round against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta when he struck a ball and it accidentally hit a line official in the throat. The 34-year-old has not dropped a Grand Slam match this year, beating Medvedev in the Australian Open final, Tsitsipas in the French Open final and Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final.
“It’s really fortunate for me and incredible that it’s all coming together in the same year,” Djokovic said. “That’s something that I didn’t expect but I always dream of achieving the biggest things in sport.”
The men’s Slam has been done only by Australian Laver in 1962 and 1969 and American Don Budge in 1938.
“What he achieved this year is something amazing,” Nadal said. “I definitely believe that he can do it, without a doubt.”
After opening against a qualifier, Djokovic could face sixth seed Berrettini in a quarter-final, Zverev in a semi-final and Medvedev or Tsitsipas in the final.
