All eyes on Novak as ‘Big 4’ face-off
From the pits of despair in Paris, Novak Djokovic now eyes a third US Open title in New York, where for the first time since Wimbledon 2017 the sport’s “Big Four” will be reunited.
On Sunday, Djokovic became the first man to win all nine Masters titles when he beat Roger Federer in Cincinnati.
Having captured, against all the odds, a fourth Wimbledon in July, the 31-year-old Serb suddenly finds himself joint favourite with world number one Rafael Nadal to triumph at Flushing Meadows.
Champion in 2011 and 2015, and a five-time runner-up, Djokovic sat out the 2017 US Open to nurse an elbow injury.
He slumped away from Roland Garros in June after a shock quarterfinal loss to journeyman Marco Cecchinato.
Fast forward three months and Djokovic is once again the man to beat. “It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s been a couple of tough months for me with an injury but then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati.”
Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph took his Grand Slam title collection to 13, just one behind Pete Sampras. He also has 31 Masters, two back from Nadal but four more than Federer.
His New York campaign will be buoyed by his dominance over three major rivals: Nadal 27-25, Federer 24-22 and Andy Murray 25-11.
“He’s a great champion,” said Federer in Cincinnati.
Nadal, who won the US Open last year to add to his 2010 and 2013 victories, skipped Cincinnati after triumphing in Toronto the week before.
The Spaniard clinched an 11th French Open in June to take his majors tally to 17 before falling to Djokovic in a fiveset, 5hr 15min semifinal loss at Wimbledon.
“Tennis is a high-demanding sport in terms of physical effort,” said Nadal, 32. “I cannot forget I am older every year.”
Federer also knows the clock is ticking. The 20-time Grand Slam winner won the last of his five US Opens in 2008. Now 37, Federer would become the oldest New York champion in the Open era should he lift the trophy on September 9 and second oldest of all-time.
He was knocked out by 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals last year. Despite defending his Australian Open title in January, Federer’s hopes of a ninth Wimbledon were blown apart in a five-set loss to Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals.
It was his earliest exit at the All England Club in five years.
Murray, the 2012 champion, is set to play his first Slam since a hip injury at Wimbledon last year. His comeback has been far from smooth after spending almost a year on the sidelines and has played only seven matches since his return.
Once world number one, his ranking nosedived to 378 in the world – making him Britain’s eighth-best player.
Outside of the ‘Big Four’, Del Potro, at a career-high three in the world, remains a dangerman. –