Elevating his status in the men’s tennis game seemed impossible, yet as with everything, Novak Djokovic found a way. After years of dominance, twenty-four grand slams, ninety-nine singles titles, and four hundred and twenty-eight weeks at world number one, it seemed we had seen it all from the Serb. Yet this Summer, his immortal status was elevated.
Just weeks after knee surgery, he rocked up to Wimbledon with no competitive games in his legs and reached the final, where Carlos Alcaraz defeated him. Less than a month later, he joined Team Serbia in the Olympics and delivered his first gold medal at the fifth time of asking.
A pattern of defiance
The tennis tour is full of diverse personalities, yet the game’s greats all share one trait: defiance. The willingness to prove others wrong, to do the seemingly impossible, to bounce back from defeat.
Last season, Novak Djokovic approached Wimbledon as the heavy favourite. The calendar slam was on. The Australian Open and Roland Garros were already in the bag without dropping a set in either final. At the age of thirty-six years old, he seemed invincible.
Yet two weeks later, at SW19, Carlos Alcaraz dethroned him from his London crown. After thirty-four victories on the bounce at Wimbledon, Djokovic fell at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz in an all-time classic five-setter final. To put it in perspective, only Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg have bettered that Wimbledon winning streak. (Not bad company to find yourself in.)
After that game, many felt that it was the changing of the guard moment. The parallels to this Summer are uncanny.
Yet, weeks later, Djokovic would restate his place at the top of the tree, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a classic Cincinnati final 5-7, 7-6, 7-6. Moreover, he would breeze to a US Open title, hammering Daniil Medvedev in the final.
If you switch Cincinnati and the Paris games, we are in the same situation heading to New York.
An out of Sorts Start to the Season
What makes this comeback story all the more sensational was Novak Djokovic’s below par start to the season. In the opening Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne, Jannik Sinner disposed of him 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. The alarm bells were ringing in a clash where the world number #2 looked a shadow of himself. Things didn’t improve between then and the French Open either. Shock losses in Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, Rome, and Geneva at the hands of Luca Nardi, Casper Ruud, Alejandro Tabilo, and Thomas Machac were puzzling.
After a five-set win against Francisco Cerundolo, Djokovic withdrew from the tournament and underwent knee surgery a few months ago. He currently finds himself in insanity.
The question becomes: Who can prevent him from lifting his fifth US Open title?
Jannik Sinner
Probably the favourite to lift the title. Jannik Sinner has lost just two matches on the hard courts all season and has won the last two clashes between himself and Djokovic. Djokovic failed to counter the Italians’ big-hitting game earlier in the season. Sinner possesses a similar ability to Djokovic in staying cool under pressure. This would be hard to call, but Sinner may edge it.
Carlos Alcaraz
On grass, Alcaraz seems to have Djokovic’s number. On clay, Djokovic is the superior. On the hard court, we truthfully don’t know yet. That classic mentioned earlier between the two in Cincinnati last season was the only time they have met. Again, it would be too tough to call.
Daniil Medvedev
Admittedly, the head-to-head doesn’t read so kindly for the Russian; Djokovic leads by ten to five. However, it’s important not to forget that Medvedev was the first man from the newer generation to defeat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final. Plus, it was in the Arthur Ashe stadium in 2021. He broke the Serb’s heart by ending his hopes of a career slam. In recent memory, of course, last season, Djokovic won straight sets. However, a full firing of Daniil Medvedev could be a serious threat.
Alexander Zverev
On a hard and clay court, Zverev can compete with anyone. The two-time Slam finalist is still searching for his first Major Title, thanks to five at the hands of Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz. There will be confidence in the German camp, though. His two most successful moments—an Olympic Gold medal in 2021 plus an ATP Final title in 2018—have included victories over Novak Djokovic (although the Olympic clash was in the semi-final).
Will it be Number 25?
It would be fitting—his twenty-fifth Grand Slam plus his one hundredth title. There will be a day when he stops being able to compete at this level; at the age of thirty-seven, he isn’t getting younger. Yet at this moment in time, he remains the best player under pressure in the world and has a wealth of experience to draw upon. Jannik Sinner will be the favourite, but Djokovic will be a close second behind.
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – USA TODAY Sports
