Novak Djokovic of Serbia acknowledges the group before fidgeting with former skilled tennis player John McEnroe against Andre Agassi and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the course of the Stars of the Open exhibition match ahead of the US Open. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Novak Djokovic, fired up by his emotional Olympic Games triumph, targets latest Grand Slam records on the US Open from Monday as title rival Jannik Sinner arrives in Latest York dogged by questions over two positive drugs tests.
Defending champion Djokovic can develop into the oldest Open era champion on the tournament if he secures a fifth title, a record he would share with Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.
The 37-year-old would also move to 25 Grand Slam triumphs, taking him clear of the 24 he currently shares with Margaret Court.
READ: Djokovic wins his first Olympic gold medal, beats Carlos Alcaraz
The ultimate major of the 12 months comes at a critical time for Djokovic.
This 12 months he was succeeded as Australian Open champion by Sinner who also relieved him of his world primary rating.
Carlos Alcaraz took his French Open title with the Spanish crowd-pleaser then sweeping Djokovic off court in a one-sided Wimbledon final.
Nonetheless, Djokovic, returned to the clay courts of Roland Garros to stun Alcaraz within the Olympic final.
READ: Jannik Sinner cleared of wrongdoing after failing anti-doping tests
His tearful victory in Paris allowed him to develop into only the fifth player to finish a profession Golden Slam of all 4 majors and Olympic gold.
The victory also silenced the increasing variety of doubters who had written off the Serb as a spent force in a brand new era where Sinner, 23, and 21-year-old Alcaraz are steadily moving center stage.
Djokovic, who underwent surgery on his right knee in June, described his Olympic victory as his “biggest sporting success”.
It was also the 99th title of his skilled profession.
‘Biggest success’
Jannik Sinner of Italy walks across the court during his match against Frances Tiafoe in the course of the Final Day of the Cincinnati Open ahead of the US Open. Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
“On the age of 37 and facing a 21-year-old who might be the very best player on the planet immediately, winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back, I can say that this might be the most important sporting success I even have ever had,” insisted Djokovic.
Sinner arrives at the ultimate Slam of the season having captured the Cincinnati Masters title.
Nonetheless, that triumph was quickly overshadowed when it emerged he had been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for a banned substance earlier within the season.
Sinner tested positive for clostebol, an anabolic agent prohibited in any respect times by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
READ: Djokovic blasts ’embarrassing’ lack of video replays in tennis
But he escaped a lengthy ban after officials accepted his explanation that the substance had entered his system because of this of contamination from a support team member.
“I’ll now put this difficult and deeply unlucky period behind me,” said Sinner.
The green light for him to proceed playing was blasted as “ridiculous” by Australian player Nick Kyrgios.
Alcaraz, who won his first major on the US Open in 2022, was badly bruised by his defeat to Djokovic within the Olympic final.
He broke down in tears on court before admitting he felt he had “let Spain down”.
His build-up to Latest York wasn’t helped by a second round exit in Cincinnati to Gael Monfils in a match which saw the normally composed Alcaraz smash his racquet on court.
‘Worst match’
He described the defeat because the “worst match” of his profession.
In the ladies’s singles on the US Open, Coco Gauff is the defending champion however the 20-year-old has endured a worrying dip in form in recent weeks.
A stormy exit from the Olympics within the third round was followed by early losses in Toronto and Cincinnati.
No woman has successfully defended her US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014.
Five-time major winner and world primary Iga Swiatek, the 2022 champion in Latest York, made the Cincinnati semi-finals where she was defeated by Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was runner-up to Gauff on the US Open last 12 months, losing from a arrange in the ultimate.
