Discussing with the Serbian press, Djokovic elaborated on the physical problem that caused him to cut short his practice session with Holger Rune on Friday. He assured fans that it was not related to his surgically repaired knee:
“I practiced for an hour on outside courts on Friday and then experienced some issues, so I didn’t continue at Artur Ashe. Today (Saturday), the problem wasn’t significant, so I practiced with Wawrinka both on outside courts and Ashe. At the moment, everything is fine and not a serious concern in the broader context.”
At this point, everything seems fine and not a serious concern
Djokovic addressing his physical issues
Having recently competed in the Wimbledon final and subsequently winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games, Djokovic’s schedule was too packed to participate in any lead-up events before the US Open:
“I’m no longer in my twenties and can’t prioritize every tournament. My main focus is on Slams, Davis Cup, and the Olympics. These major events inspire me to compete, and I also enjoy the preparation process for these challenges in New York.”
In 2024, Djokovic has only participated in three hard court events – the United Cup, Australian Open, and Indian Wells. Of these, he reached one semi-final, a departure from his usual standards. With his last hard court match taking place almost six months ago in a loss to Luca Nardi, Djokovic was asked about the lack of hard court practice:
“It would have been better to have more matches under my belt, but this year’s calendar prioritized the Olympic Games. I arrived in New York on Tuesday and have been practicing daily to elevate my game. However, I must admit that I am more jet-lagged than usual; it feels like a part of me is still in Europe.”
The defending US Open champion begins his quest for a record-equaling fifth title in New York against Moldovan Radu Albot on Monday evening on Arthur Ashe (2:30am CET on Tuesday). Sharing his mindset as he enters a major tournament, Djokovic said:
“I know that when a tournament of this magnitude begins, I have a different approach within me. Once the tournament starts, I transform into a different competitor. I hope the first match goes well, as that’s always the goal, and then we’ll go from there.”
When a major tournament begins, I adopt a different mindset
Djokovic on his approach to playing in majors
