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After an Olympic stumble Novak Djokovic will get a second chunk at historical past within the Massive Apple with a calendar 12 months Grand Slam there for the taking on the US Open. Having seen his bid for a Golden Slam \u2013 Olympic gold and 4 slams in the identical 12 months \u2013 wilt within the Tokyo warmth, Djokovic arrives in New York positioned to change into the primary man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the Australian and French Open titles plus Wimbledon and the US Open in the identical 12 months.<\/p>\n
A US Open triumph would additionally give the Serb a record-setting 21st profession Grand Slam title \u2013 another than his nice rivals Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, who will each be absent. For nearly 20 years the Flushing Meadows exhausting courts have been dominated over by the Massive Three of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.<\/p>\n
Between them the trio have claimed 12 of the final 17 US Opens. Solely twice over that interval has a remaining not featured no less than one in all them. However with Federer and Nadal sidelined by accidents the outdated guard has been decreased to 1.<\/p>\n
Whereas Djokovic has idled for the reason that Tokyo Olympics, his largest threats Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev have been increase a head of steam going into the 12 months\u2019s remaining Grand Slam. No participant has been in higher kind than the 24-year outdated Zverev, who adopted up his gold medal on the Tokyo Video games with an imperious march to the ATP Masters 1000 occasion title in Cincinnati final Sunday.<\/p>\n
Medvedev has additionally been fast to search out his footing on the North American exhausting courts by profitable the ATP Masters 1000 occasion in Toronto. Tsitsipas has been within the highlight over his resistance to taking a COVID-19 vaccine however the Greek has not let controversy distract him from advancing to the semi-finals within the Toronto and Cincinnati stops.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need to get forward of myself but,\u201d stated Zverev following his Cincinnati win. \u201cLet\u2019s see the way it goes … I nonetheless have a number of work forward of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because the US Open approaches there’s a rising sense that Flushing Meadows will ship a breakthrough second. Now common winners on the ATP Tour and Grand Slam battle-tested, the calls for and expectations of competing within the massive occasions are now not a part of the educational curve for Zverev, Medvedev and Tsitsipas.<\/p>\n
This 12 months Medvedev contested the ultimate of the Australian Open and Tsitsipas the French, each dropping to Djokovic. In 2019, Medvedev misplaced the ultimate at Flushing Meadows in an epic five-set tussle with Nadal.<\/p>\n
Final 12 months Zverev was denied a maiden main on the US Open, falling to Dominic Thiem who won’t be again to defend his title as a result of a wrist harm. After every of his Grand Slam wins Djokovic has applauded his opponent, encouraging them that their day will come.<\/p>\n
That day might be September 12, the afternoon of the boys\u2019s remaining at Flushing Meadows. However even with complaints of fatigue, a sore shoulder and an ill-tempered racket-tossing meltdown in Tokyo, few will likely be betting in opposition to Djokovic in New York.<\/p>\n
It is probably not his favorite venue \u2013 notably after final 12 months when the Serb was disqualified for swatting a ball in frustration that struck a feminine line choose \u2013 however he’s virtually at all times in rivalry, having reached the ultimate on eight events and profitable three.<\/p>\n