Djokovic Targets Grand Slam No. 25 at US Open as Rivals Falter
Novak Djokovic says he is "as best as I can be" prepared for the US Open, where a 25th Grand Slam singles title would take him past Margaret Court's all-time record and into uncharted territory for the sport.
Speaking at his pre-tournament media availability on 29 August 2026, the 39-year-old struck a measured tone. He acknowledged the gap between practice and the real thing — best-of-five matches, a format used only at the four Grand Slams, where men must win three sets rather than two, testing stamina as much as skill. "Training differs from playing best-of-five at Arthur Ashe Stadium," Djokovic said, referring to the 23,000-seat arena that hosts the tournament's biggest matches. The Guardian
His preparation has been far from ideal. Djokovic has played only one competitive match since reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in July. That match, a second-round appearance at the Cincinnati Open on 15 August, ended in a 2-6 6-4 6-4 defeat to Argentina's Thiago Agustín Tirante — a player ranked well outside the top 50. Reuters
Djokovic swept the opening set before the stifling Ohio humidity took hold. He struggled visibly, appeared to vomit, required a medical timeout, and afterwards revealed an unspecified health issue. Yahoo Sports The early exit, though, gave him roughly two weeks to train and recover before Flushing Meadows. The Guardian
The landscape around him has shifted. Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, is absent from the tournament through injury. Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic's great rival over the past two seasons, is competing for the first time since a right wrist problem sidelined him for four and a half months. The Guardian
Djokovic's own record commands respect regardless. He has reached the semi-finals or better in six of his last seven Grand Slam tournaments. That run of deep finishes, stretching back two years, suggests the physical toll of Cincinnati may be a blip rather than a pattern. The Guardian
On the women's side, Elena Rybakina has declared herself healthy after recovering from a foot injury sustained at the Cincinnati Open. The Guardian The 2022 Wimbledon champion adds to a draw already missing its top-ranked player in Sinner on the men's side, making the 2026 US Open feel unusually open.
For Djokovic, the maths is simple enough. One more title — Court's long-standing mark of 24, set across the amateur and professional eras — and he stands alone. Whether his body holds up over two weeks of best-of-five tennis in the New York heat is the question only the matches can answer.
