Novak Djokovic of Serbia practices ahead of the 2024 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City on August 24, 2024. Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP
Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic remains captivated by tennis history as he tries to become the first man in 16 years to successfully defend his U.S. Open title.
Riding the momentum of his victory at the Paris Olympics, second-seeded Djokovic will be looking to break a number of records at Flushing Meadows and open his season on Monday night against Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot.
At 37, he will join Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer as the oldest winners in the Open Era, and with his 25th Grand Slam title he will become the most successful player of all time, a record currently tied with Australian great Margaret Court.
Read: Djokovic aims for 25th Grand Slam title after winning Olympic gold
He will also become the first man to win consecutive U.S. Open titles in New York since Federer did so five times in a row from 2004 to 2008.
“I didn’t know that,” Djokovic said, “I knew it would be maybe five or 10 years, but I didn’t know it would be that long.”
“Hopefully that will change this year. That’s the goal.”
If Djokovic wins, it will mark his seventh consecutive year with at least one Grand Slam title. From 2011 to 2023, he only went one major titleless year, in 2017.
So far in 2024, the major tournaments have been in the hands of a new generation, with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz looking to win his third consecutive Grand Slam title after victories at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open and replaced Djokovic at the top of the world rankings.
With Federer retired and Rafael Nadal battling injuries, Djokovic said his budding rivalries with players like Alcaraz and Sinner are keeping him motivated.
Read: Djokovic understands players’ questions about Jannik Sinner incident
“My rivalry with Jannik and Carlos continues to bring me the joy of competition and inspire me to perfect my game,” Djokovic said.
“People ask me, ‘You’ve basically won everything with the gold medal, what else is there to win?'”
“I’m still motivated. I’m still competitive. I want to make more history and enjoy the tour.”
“It was probably the most intense emotion I’ve ever felt on a tennis court,” Djokovic said of the medal ceremony after winning the Paris Olympics.
“The moment when you achieve it, how you achieve it after so many years of hard work, the journey… I think that makes it even more special.”
But he is looking to end this season with a Grand Slam title and has no intention of disappointing.
“The Grand Slams are the pillars of our sport,” Djokovic said. “They are the most important historic tennis tournaments that we have.”
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“So if you’re not committed to playing your best tennis at a Grand Slam, it’s hard to do so anywhere else.”
