ATP Tour

Djokovic 'prepared as best as can be' ahead of US Open title bid

In 2005, an 18-year-old Novak Djokovic made his US Open debut against Gael Monfils. It was a rollercoaster five-set battle that Djokovic eventually won after four hours and two minutes.

Two decades later, Djokovic is back at Flushing Meadows for his 20th appearance at the New York major, a milestone that has prompted him to reflect on just how much time has passed and how much he has accomplished since that first trip to the US Open.

“I'm very proud of that,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference when told it was his 20th appearance. “Obviously, longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger, trying to have a 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.

“It's great to know that I'm back at slams 20 years in a row. I've seen it somewhere there's like three, four of us that played [in 2005]. I think it was Wawrinka, Monfils and Cilic. So it's nice to turn back time. I actually think I played Monfils in my first US Open, a five-setter, and here we are 20 years later, we're both still grinding and representing the older generation.”

The circumstances are different now, but Djokovic’s pursuit at the US Open remains as ambitious as ever. The 39-year-old is chasing his fifth title in New York and a record 25th Grand Slam singles crown, having continued to compete at the highest level despite the demands of a career that has now stretched across more than two decades.

Djokovic, the former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings reached the Australian Open final in January before advancing to the Wimbledon semi-finals last month, providing further evidence that he remains capable of making deep runs at the sport’s biggest events. There have, however, been reminders of the challenges that come with maintaining that level at this stage of his career.

One came two weeks ago in Cincinnati, where Djokovic suffered an unexpected three-set defeat to Thiago Agustin Tirante in his opening match. Rather than dwelling on the result, Djokovic used the early exit to give himself additional time to prepare for New York.

“I don't like early losses anywhere, to be honest, but it gave me time to prepare for the US Open in [the] most adequate way,” Djokovic said. “I almost had two weeks to really train and get my body and mind into the right state. It remains to be seen.

“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 [sets]. You don't normally play best of five in the practice sessions. 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.”

That first hurdle will come against another Argentine. Having fallen to Tirante in Cincinnati, Djokovic will open his US Open campaign Sunday against Mariano Navone, with the pair meeting for the first time in the Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Djokovic will arrive with a formidable record at the tournament. He owns a 95-15 mark at the US Open and New York was the site of his most recent Grand Slam triumph. In 2023, at age 36, he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to become the oldest US Open men’s singles champion in tournament history.

This year, Djokovic is a potential semi-final opponent for defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is competing for the first time in four months after being sidelined by a right wrist injury. But before Djokovic can think about the latter stages, he will have to negotiate the opening rounds that he acknowledges have become increasingly demanding.