Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has disclosed that he’s prepared for his 20th US Open appearance and his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic noted that his early exit at the Cincinnati Open gave him two extra weeks to train. He used this time to get his body and mind ready for New York.
He acknowledged that practice sessions are different from playing best-of-five sets on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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“I’m very proud of that,” Djokovic said Saturday as he prepared to take on Argentina’s Mariano Navone on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
“Obviously longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger, trying to have long career, trying to have more shots at Grand Slams, and stay healthy long enough so that I can perform for as many years as possible.
“I don’t like early losses anywhere, to be honest, but it gave me time to be preparing for the US Open in a most adequate way.
“I had two weeks to really train and get my body and mind into the right state, prepared for what’s coming up.
“So it remains to be seen. “If you ask me if I’m prepared, I feel like I am, as best I can be. But it’s different training and then getting out on the Arthur Ashe Stadium and playing best-of-five (sets). You don’t normally play best-of-five on the practice sessions.
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“Let’s see how it goes. The opening matches are always for me, particularly in the last few years, quite challenging. So hopefully I can overcome the first hurdle and build from there.”
Seeded fourth, Djokovic opens his campaign in the night session against Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
This tournament marks his 20th appearance at Flushing Meadows, putting him in elite company with Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Feliciano Lopez.
