Novak Djokovic was all set to cruise into the U.S. Open as scorching favourite however a semi-final defeat on the Cincinnati Masters final week has not less than given hope to his challengers that the world primary will not be invincible.
Djokovic was on a roll till Cincinnati, having received three titles, together with two Grand Slams, on three totally different surfaces this yr.
He received the Australian Open in January, took the ATP Masters occasion in Madrid in Might, earlier than saving two match factors to beat outdated foe Roger Federer within the longest males’s singles ultimate at Wimbledon in July.
However final weekend’s defeat by Russian Daniil Medvedev didn’t shake the boldness of a person who has spent 9 months as the sport’s high ranked participant.
“I see principally positives actually in my recreation,” he mentioned after Saturday’s loss, solely his seventh in 45 matches this yr. “I misplaced to a participant that was taking part in superb, so I am going to take that and I am going to transfer ahead to New York and have a very good apply week.
“Then, after all, get myself prepared for the Open. I like taking part in in these circumstances there on heart court docket. I’ll combat for a title as everybody else does, and I like my possibilities. I really feel good and I sit up for it.”
Djokovic, who has received 4 out of the final 5 Grand Slams — along with his solely loss over the previous 13 months being within the semi-finals of this yr’s French Open — will nonetheless be one of many favorites to win his fourth U.S. Open title.
A triumph at Flushing Meadows would additionally take him to inside one in all Rafael Nadal’s whole of 18 Grand Slam titles and to inside three of Federer’s report 20.
OFF-COURT DISTRACTION
Though a males’s champion has not defended the U.S. Open crown since Federer in 2008, Djokovic can take encouragement from a tremendous run of type there in recent times.
Aside from 2017 when he missed the event by means of damage, the Serb has reached not less than the semi-finals in Flushing Meadows yearly since 2007.
If there’s one attainable distraction, it comes off the court docket.
The 32-year-old faces opposition from rivals for political dominancy of the ATP Gamers Council, the physique set as much as give tour members a voice.
Djokovic has led the Gamers Council since October final yr however his two foremost rivals Federer and Nadal returned to the physique earlier this month, a transfer that was seen by many as a united entrance to counter Djokovic’s affect.
The council will meet in New York forward of the U.S. Open and the subtext will add to an already fierce rivalry among the many three males who’ve dominated the lads’s recreation for greater than a decade.