After two years Novak Djokovic is a dream come true for Djokovic New York.
The U.S. Open has been won by him three times. It’s where he made one of his most famous shots, returning Roger Federer’s serve with a walloping forehand when he was down double match point in Semi-finals in 2011.
The moment he lost the game, his mind was stuck in one of his worst moments. in The 2021 U.S. Open Singles Final against Daniil Medivedev.
Djokovic only needed one more win to accomplish the majority of his goals in his career — becoming the first man since Rod Laver in All four Grand Slams were won in 1969 in A single year. He sat in His chair at the sidelines before the final match listening to 23,000 people in Arthur Ashe Stadium roared in support of him, after cheering for long for his favorite opponents. He screamed into a bath towel.
He knew it New York Crowds enjoy seeing excellence and history. He had felt and He heard them pulling him towards himself as Soon, as Then he entered the court. and He was still with them as He sat at the brink of defeat.
“I fell in love with the New Yorkers and New York in a completely different way that day,” Djokovic stated during an interview in a quiet evening on Wednesday in The player’s garden is located outside of the stadium.
Djokovic, who missed the U.S. Open last year due to his refusal of vaccination against Covid-19 because he refused the vaccine in 2017, is now back. The U.S. Open is Djokovic’s 23rd Grand Slam title. and Both sides seem to be growing in love for each other.
“I cannot wait to have Novak back in New York,” Stacey Allaster said at a news conference recently.
Djokovic is a natural gladiator. He shouts, pound his chest and returns taunts to fans and Smashes a racket every now and then. The ball swatted by him resulted in his default from the U.S. Open for 2020. in anger and Unintentionally hit the line judge.
He is now 36 and has relaxed. and Off it, he is introspective. Although he takes a number of strong political positions, which he never hides, he apologizes when he’s late and makes light of himself. and With a smile, it’s simple. He wants to be liked by others. and he isn’t afraid to admit it.
After the French Open the public is more aware of these players in Djokovic has overtaken Federer since June and Rafael Nadal and his rivals. in The race to win the most Grand Slam titles in singles.
Ashe’s first training session at Ashe Stadium was attended by a large crowd of fans. The crowds are roaring as the players crank out serves and Djokovic obliged the shouted demands for his famous impersonations. He mimicked the movements of Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick. Pete Sampras was also included. and Others that have become a part of the routine in U.S. Open lockerroom in Many championships have passed since 2007.
“Kind of a signal that I’m feeling very comfortable on the court,” “He said later.” “Good fun. Positive energy.”
Afterward, Allaster told him that was one of his best practices.
When security guards gave the signal that the hitting session was nearing its end, children — and plenty of adults, too — pushed toward the edge of the court, waving phones and Tennis balls with oversized sizes as They clamored to see pictures and autographs. Djokovic worked the perimeter of the court for more than 20 minute like a candidate running on a line. as The fans on the other side chanted him, hoping that he’d come to their area next.
He couldn’t. The gym was waiting. It’s not time for sympathy. He has been studying video of top competitors, maintaining his strict routine, sleeping and eating before the time is too late. and He is watching each morsel he eats in His mouth
Wednesday night’s protein- and The carbohydrate packed dinner served shortly after the gym was two salmon steaks with two large baked potatoes and healthy portions of yellow potatoes. and chickpeas, and A bowl of pasta in olive oil and fresh vegetables.
“The matches are going to get tougher, more demanding as the tournament progresses,” He said this between bites. “So I’m always thinking in advance. I’m focusing on the next challenge, of course, but I also have in the back of my mind the long-term goal and the long-term plan, which is to win this tournament.”
Djokovic has come a long way since he last won here. He is now the older legend in the sport and He has solidified his position as Federer is retired. Federer retired. Nadal has recovered from surgery and On the verge of retirement. Carlos Alcaraz is the Spanish 20-year old upstart who has been long hailed. as the sport’s next big thing, has emerged ahead of schedule to fulfill every lofty expectation. He is the U.S. Open’s reigning champion and The world’s No. 1
Then, he will be fending off. and All the rest of what is called the next next generation. (An unkind swipe at those in the middle-class) and Medvedev, a young man in his late 20s and Stefanos Tsitsipas, whom Alcaraz has leapfrogged) is likely the final chapter of Djokovic’s career. Alcaraz was a rival in the Grand Slams this year. and A thrilling intergenerational battle that pits raw talents and Sport is a story about athleticism and unique experiences.
Djokovic prevailed in Alcaraz lost his first match in the French Open after cramping due to stress. in Enjoy these five sets of thrilling games in Wimbledon’s final. It could have been a moment of torch passing. It could have been. Djokovic appears to be enjoying himself. Alcaraz is the Italian Jannik Sinner and Holger rune from Denmark is part of the generation which believes unapologetically that it can beat him in big tournaments. They are brave, and He loves it.
“My role nowadays is to prevent them from that,” “He said, with that sly laugh which has been his trademark in late-career.
He is able to remember the time when he once was one of those people. in His late teens and Showing up in your early 20s in New York andAs many before him, was also blown by the sheer size of his opponent. and Energy of the city. A kid from the mountains. in The Balkans were a big deal for anyone who traveled through Europe playing tennis.
When he first visited, he was hosted by family members in New Jersey commutes every day to Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. When he looks at the Midtown Tunnel sign, his mind drifts back to that innocent first trip. in 2003.
The week leading up to the U.S. Open, he stays in a luxury hotel in Manhattan soak in Before moving to the city with his wife, he felt the excitement of the city. and young children to a friend’s estate in Alpine, N.J. He switches to “lockdown mode” and finds peace and Serenity in the trees and When he is not playing, he often prefers to practice there with his hitting partner than travel all the way up to Queens.
The location is also advantageous. Djokovic is no stranger to stories in The locker rooms of those players that have been affected by the Pull of the New York night. Some of these involve his peers. and He may even have accompanied them on a few club outings in An earlier life
“I was lucky early on to have people around me that kept me at bay,” He said. “But I did have freedom to explore and go around. Let’s say that I did get to know New York at night as well.”
It will not happen, especially with Alcaraz still so fresh in the mind. in The mind and the young Spaniard presenting a challenge equal to Djokovic’s greatest duels with Federer, Nadal and Andy Murray in After that Wimbledon loss, Djokovic put his rackets away for two weeks. Djokovic took two weeks off after his Wimbledon defeat. and Heading to Croatia and Montenegro for a family vacation in Mountains are a great place to go hiking and The waters he is so familiar with. He did not participate in the National Bank Open in Toronto, inciting fatigue.
Tennis is not a time to indulge in regret and hindsight, though, and The next tournament was fast approaching. in Cincinnati’s late-summer heat is unbearable and New York. He was trained in Summer days in Europe are the most hot. After that, he performed two additional tasks. “big heat” When he arrived, he began to work out in Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open.
It’s a good thing. Last Sunday’s final against Alcaraz was an enthralling, three-set slugfest that Djokovic won in A nearly 4-hour tiebreaker was the final set of the match. and He was on the verge of heatstroke. Alcaraz cramped in The climactic moment. Djokovic said it was one of the most difficult mental challenges he had ever faced. and The physical demands of his job.
A grueling test like that wasn’t really a part of his U.S. Open prep plan, but the intent was to win the tournament. It Always is.
“How you win and how long does it take, that’s something that’s unpredictable,” He said. “Better this way than losing a match like that, that’s for sure.”
You can love me. and The dreamy moment that actually happened in New York Last time. He is hoping that another type of dream will await him this year.
