By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday August 25, 2024
Not since Roger Federer gained his fifth and ultimate US Open title in 2008 has a participant efficiently defended the boys’s singles title on the US Open.
4-time champion Novak Djokovic is hoping to alter all that.
Forward of his first spherical matchup with Moldova’s Radu Albot, 2024 Olympic gold medalist Djokovic advised the press that he’s nonetheless hungry for extra success on the Grand Slams.
“Hopefully that adjustments this 12 months,” he mentioned when advised that no man has defended the US Open title within the final 15 years. “I imply, that is the objective. The objective is at all times for me to attempt to go all the way in which to the finals and combat for the trophy. I imply, that type of mindset or method is not any totally different for me this 12 months.”
Even at 37, No.2-seeded Djokovic says the hearth to compete on the elite degree nonetheless burns inside him.
“Individuals would ask me now that you’ve got principally gained every thing with the gold medal, what else is there to win?” he mentioned. “I nonetheless really feel the drive. “I nonetheless have the aggressive spirit. I nonetheless need to make extra historical past and luxuriate in myself on the tour. I nonetheless hope to encourage many younger individuals to observe tennis, play tennis – These are a number of the explanation why I nonetheless carry on going.”
Djokovic says that making an attempt to maintain tempo together with his youthful rivals is also extraordinarily motivating for him. He credit Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for protecting him impressed to carry out at his peak degree.
“These type of rivalries that I’ve with Jannik and Carlos, particularly, in fact, together with different guys from the technology earlier than, like, Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, you recognize, are the type of matchups that also deliver that pleasure of competitors to me and encourage me to actually, on a weekly foundation once I’m not competing, push myself to good the sport and to offer myself a capability to have the ability to run for hours with them on the most important stage,” he mentioned. “After all, there’s a huge age distinction, however, you recognize, that is nonetheless not, I suppose, affecting me in a giant approach.”
Olympic Gold His Biggest Second
Djokovic has executed so many breathtaking triumphs in his profession, one would suppose he would have a tough time deciding which one was his most shifting efficiency. The Serbian legend says no query it’s profitable gold on the Paris Video games this summer season.
“I had some heartbreaking losses on the Olympic Video games, labored very arduous to attempt to get myself able to combat for gold,” he defined. “And at 37 I assumed: might this be the final likelihood? Perhaps. So I needed to push greater than I’ve ever achieved.”
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Djokovic mentioned that the Olympics turned out to be a dream come true, and added that he by no means felt such robust feelings on a tennis court docket.
“Turned out to be the most effective performances I had in years general all through all the match,” he mentioned. “After all within the finals in opposition to Carlos, it was type of a dream state of affairs actually having my spouse and youngsters there, all the nation watching. Only a very proud second of experiencing the gold medal, you recognize, round my neck with the Serbian anthem and Serbian flag. Very, very particular. Most likely probably the most intense feelings I’ve ever had on a tennis court docket.
“I used to be saying that carrying the flag, being a flag bearer for my nation, opening Video games in 2012 in London on the Olympic Video games, was one of the best feeling I had general in my skilled profession, surpassed each Slam that I gained, till I gained the gold medal. I believe the second of once I achieved it, how I achieved it, after years of making an attempt, the journey, that was the way in which it was, I believe makes it much more distinctive.”
