Winning an Olympic gold medal was a huge achievement for Novak Djokovic, but despite all his tennis accomplishments — including a record 24 Grand Slam titles, 99 total titles, and the most weeks at No. 1 — he is not resting on his laurels as the U.S. Open starts.
“People ask me, ‘Now that you have won everything with the gold medal, what’s left to win?’” Djokovic, 37, from Serbia, said on Saturday. “I still feel motivated and competitive. I still want to make more history and enjoy my time on the tour.”
It often seems like there’s a new milestone for Djokovic every time he plays, and this U.S. Open is no exception. Play starts Monday at Flushing Meadows, where Djokovic, the No. 2 seed, will face 138th-ranked Radu Albot of Moldova in Arthur Ashe Stadium. He has the chance to win his 25th Grand Slam title, a record no player has ever reached in tennis.
As the defending champion, Djokovic also has the opportunity to be the first man to win at least two consecutive U.S. Open titles since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008.
“I didn’t know it had been that long. Hopefully, that changes this year,” Djokovic said. “The goal is always to reach the finals and compete for the trophy. My approach is no different this year.”
This consistent drive has been key to all his successes.
“I want to follow what Djokovic has done throughout his career,” said Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old who already has four Grand Slam titles. “He’s always getting better, improving, and performing at his best on the court.”
Djokovic’s achievements are not just admired because of the numbers — with the possibility of a 25th major title described as “Colossal” by Alcaraz — but also for the respect he commands from other players.
“Your baseline average level has to be so much better than everyone else’s. It shows how much better someone is because there are so many people trying to win just one or two titles,” said 12th-seeded American Taylor Fritz.
“It’s amazing. And his discipline throughout the year, never being satisfied and always wanting more, is also very impressive.”
Since his Summer Games win over Alcaraz in two tiebreakers, Djokovic has not played in any other tournaments.
His emotional reaction on that day — kneeling, trembling, and crying — and his comments on Saturday made it clear how important the gold medal was to him.
“It was a very proud moment to have the gold medal around my neck, with the Serbian anthem and flag. It was probably the most intense emotions I’ve ever felt on a tennis court,” he said. “The way I achieved it, after years of trying, makes it even more special.”
Now, Djokovic is focused on the future and aiming for more titles.
The season continues without breaks, and Djokovic is concentrating on adding a fifth U.S. Open win to his record.
