The gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics is now just a (sweet) memory for Novak Djokovic: the Serbian champion has already gotten back to work, training for the US Open, news that will make his fans happy.
And in hindsight, we can really say that Nole is not made the same way as other common human beings! After the injury suffered at Roland Garros and the subsequent surgery on the meniscus, many doubts had been raised about the Serbian champion’s recovery.
However, Nole rewrote history, once again, reaching the final at Wimbledon just a few weeks after the operation and winning in Paris, against Carlos Alcaraz, that Olympic gold medal he had been chasing so much in his career.
Having skipped the two ATP Masters 1000 in Toronto and Cincinnati to catch his breath and reach his best physical condition, the 24-time Slam champion is ready to defend the title at the US Open he won last year, chasing his first ATP title of the season.
In a recent training session in view of the last Major of the year, the 37-year-old Serbian was filmed while training without the knee brace that accompanied him in his last appearances at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.
Djokovic practising without his knee protection for the first time since his injury at Roland Garros. Good to see ahead of the US Open 🇺🇸
The last *full* season that Novak went without any Major title was 2010, let’s see if he can continue the streak 🏆pic.twitter.com/xXmtBvW0DC
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) August 18, 2024
Djokovic is training in Montenegro and already seems ready to compete in the United States. A few jumping forehands, a newfound mobility and the determination that has always distinguished him. In New York, Nole will try to bring his almost unattainable record of Slam titles to 25, trying to break the fast of seasonal titles.
The last season in which Djokovic remained dry of Slam trophies was 2017, the year in which he did not take part in the US Major. The last year in which he failed to win even one ATP title dates back to 2005.
After the Olympics, which saw him triumph for the first time in his career, the Tour has moved on to the part of the calendar where all the best tennis players battle it out on North American hard courts.
Novak Djokovic has a winning record against EVERY player who won a Big Title since 2011:
🇪🇸Nadal: 31-29
🇨🇭Federer: 27-23
🇬🇧Murray: 25-11
🇪🇸Ferrer: 16-5
🇨🇭Wawrinka: 21-6
🇫🇷Tsonga: 17-6
🇦🇷Del Potro: 16-4
🇭🇷Cilic: 19-2
🇭🇷Coric: 4-0
🇩🇪Zverev: 8-4
🇦🇹Thiem: 7-5
🇧🇬Dimitrov: 12-1… pic.twitter.com/rMSAkMeuqr— Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) August 18, 2024
After the surprise Alexei Popyrin, capable of winning his first ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal, in Cincinnati, Jannik Sinner will challenge Frances Tiafoe in the final. Everyone knows that the fourth and final Slam of the season will soon take place, the US Open, scheduled in New York from 26 August to 8 September.
Before the big event at Flushing Meadows there will be a special event that will make tennis fans particularly happy.
We are talking about The Stars of the Open, a series of exhibition matches featuring the great champions of the past and present.
The names announced are resounding and promise sparks. The two champions of the moment, Djokovic and Alcaraz, who gave light to an epic Olympic final, will compete once again, but paired respectively with John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. A show absolutely not to be missed, but that’s not all. For those who go to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from August 19 to 25, they will have the honor of witnessing another very intriguing challenge, between some great champions of the past: Juan Martín del Potro and Gabriela Sabatini against Venus Williams and Andy Roddick.
💥🏆 43 singles majors on the same court.
McEnroe-Djokovic vs Agassi-Alcaraz exhibition match at the US Open 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/W3HvorMsiJ
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) August 16, 2024