Novak Djokovic says he has made the most of his preparations for his 20th US Open appearance as he continues his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title.
The Serbian has featured in just one match since reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, losing in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open to Thiago Agustín Tirante after struggling in the humid conditions.
“If you ask me if I’m prepared, I feel like I am as best as I can be, but it’s different training and then getting out on the Arthur Ashe Stadium and playing best-of-five,” he said ahead of his first-round clash against Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
However, Djokovic believes the setback ultimately provided valuable time to regroup ahead of the US Open.
“I don’t like early losses anywhere, to be honest, but it gave me time to be prepared for US Open in a most adequate way. I had almost a few weeks, actually two weeks, to really train and get my body and mind into the right state, prepared for what’s coming up,” he said.
Djokovic, the fourth seed, could face a comparatively less difficult route to another major title, with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined by a knee injury and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returning after a four-month absence caused by injury.
Despite the circumstances, Djokovic knows the tournament will present its own challenges as he attempts to become the oldest man to win a Grand Slam. That record currently belongs to Australia’s Ken Rosewall, who was 37 when he captured the 1972 Australian Open.
“Let’s see how it goes,” Djokovic said. “The opening matches are always for me, particularly in the last few years, quite challenging. So hopefully I can overcome the first hurdle and build from there.”
Djokovic has been pursuing a 25th major crown since his 2023 US Open triumph, when he equalled Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles. While that historic target remains a major motivation, he is also taking pride in the longevity that has allowed him to reach another significant milestone. His 20th US Open appearance puts him in an exclusive group alongside Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Feliciano Lopez.
“I’m very proud of that,” Djokovic said. “Obviously longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger, trying to have long career, trying to have more shots at Grand Slams, and stay healthy long enough so that I can perform for as many years as possible.”
