Novak Djokovic, fresh from his emotional Olympic triumph, is poised to break new Grand Slam records at the US Open.
The defending champion can become the oldest Open era champion at the tournament if he secures a fifth title, a record he would share with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer. Additionally, a win would take him to 25 Grand Slam triumphs, surpassing the 24 he currently shares with Margaret Court.
Djokovic’s victory at the Olympics has silenced doubters who had written him off as a spent force in a new era dominated by younger players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old underwent surgery on his right knee in June and wondered if his chances to win Olympic gold were running out. However, he pushed through and achieved what he called “the greatest achievement and greatest highlight of my career overall, winning the gold for Serbia.”
Sinner, meanwhile, arrives at the US Open after an emotionally draining doping investigation, in which he escaped a lengthy ban after officials accepted his explanation that the banned substance entered his system as a result of contamination from a support team member. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Sinner faces questions over his reputation and the lack of provisional suspension during the investigation.
Other contenders in the tournament include Alcaraz, who won his first major at the US Open in 2022 but was badly bruised by his defeat to Djokovic in the Olympic final. Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff has endured a worrying dip in form, raising doubts over whether she can become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to successfully defend her US Open crown. Other top contenders in the women’s field include Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, and Zheng Qinwen.
