Sporting golden bags over each shoulder as a symbol of his recent Olympic triumph, Novak Djokovic made his entrance into Arthur Ashe Stadium for his inaugural match as Olympic champion. His Olympic success in Paris is something he holds dear, reminding us of his great accomplishment.
Nevertheless, the tennis calendar pauses for no one. Even while basking in the glow of his gold medal achievement, Djokovic also faces the challenge of another significant competition that’s already started. Djokovic made a solid start to his defence of the US Open title, besting Radu Albot 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in the initial round in New York, and claiming his 78th win at Ashe, the highest record for a male player.
Post his Parisian win, Djokovic took a measured approach in pivoting his attention to the final grand slam of the season, a shift from his usual rapid recovery for the next match lineup. The 37-year-old ensured he savoured the moment of what he regards as his most significant accomplishment.
After deciding not to participate in Canada and Cincinnati, Djokovic spent some extra time in Paris to celebrate his victory. He later flew to Belgrade, where he and fellow Serbian medal winners were met by a massive crowd of fans. He took a joy ride through the Serbian capital during nightfall, greeting and thanking supporters through his vehicle’s window.
His victory at the US Open was the first step towards a historic title, marking his first participation in a hard-court tournament since March and only his fourth of the year on his preferred surface. With the advantageous draw as the second seed, and his last three grand slam sporriers (Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev) are located as far apart from him as feasible in the top half, finding rhythm without hard court preparation is not expected to pose much of an issue.
His first encounter on Monday was with Radu Albot, a seasoned 34-year-old Moldovan qualifier who mostly oscillates between 50th and 150th in rankings. Despite Albot sealing his reputation as a steady and dogged player, his petite stature of 5ft 9ins (1.75m) leaves him at a disadvantage against his world-class counterparts.
Despite Djokovic’s initial struggle with his first serve, he quickly asserted his dominance and maintained pressure on Albot’s feeble serve by consistently succeeding in his service games. Gradually, the Serbian champion methodically wore down his opponent through his unremitting intensity and steadiness on both flanks, leading him to a breezy victory.
“Beginning is always arduous, especially when one hasn’t played on the court for half a year and coming off a triumphant gold medal run in the Olympics played on clay,” stated Djokovic. “Considering I didn’t have any official matches before the US Open I foresee more challenging initial rounds”.
“Hopefully, my performance improves each day. The beauty of grand slams is the respite between matches, providing an opportunity to practice, correct flaws, and refine your game. That’s precisely what I think I require,” he added.
After a little less than three months post his knee surgery, Djokovic displayed great agility on the court, although he still uses a knee brace. Nonetheless, the champion player assures, “My knee is absolutely fine. It was trouble-free throughout the whole Olympic tournament and also in the initial round here. Touch wood, all seems good on this front.”
In the upcoming round, Djokovic is slated to face his fellow Serbian, Laslo Djere, who beat Jan Lennard Struff in a gruelling five-set match on Monday. Despite appearing to be a routine match on the surface, Djere displayed a commendable performance in the previous year’s US Open by leading Djokovic by two sets before the older Serbian came back to claim victory in five sets.
“Certainly a moment of pride for Serbian tennis, as two competitors from the same country clash with each other,” Djokovic remarked. “This guarantees a Serbian representative in the third round. I hope it’s me, but Djere showcases his best game when playing on the grand stage.”
After achieving the pinnacle in tennis, bagging every conceivable honour a tennis player can dream of, what’s next for Djokovic remains a query. As he embarks on the quest for his record-breaking 25th grand slam title, Djokovic adamantly asserts that his outlook remains unaltered.
When posed with the question, “Having earned the gold medal and virtually all victors’ laurels, what is left for you to conquer?” Djokovic shared his unwavering resolve. “I still harbour the zeal, my competitive fire is still burning,” he declared. “I am keen on creating more milestones and relishing my journey on the tour. I continue to aspire to influence numerous youngsters to embrace tennis, both as fans and players.” — Guardian