Novak Djokovic is gearing up to return to the action, and there is a reason to be happy for his fans.
With the 2024 season coming to its last third, there aren't many more tournaments that players will compete in, and when it comes to Djokovic, this statement is even more truthful, as he chooses his schedule very wisely.
The 24-time major winner didn't compete at the Canadian Open in Montreal, and he also skipped the Cincinnati Open, missing two ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in a row but still keeping his World No. 2 ranking.
One tournament he certainly won't miss is the 2024 US Open. He won the tournament at Flushing Meadows four times in his tennis career, second least, only behind the French Open.
However, this year will be different from others. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Serbian achieved one of his greatest career triumphs when he bested Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Olympic tournament, achieving probably the only triumph missing from his cabinet.
It was also maybe that win that might mentally lighten the 37-year-old who stated the Olympic Games as his number-one goal for the 2024 season. Now that he has achieved it, former players and pundits, such as Tim Henman, think that it might drive further success for Djokovic.
Following the Olympic Games, the World No. 2 player took a few weeks away from the sport, and fans could witness some of that, as videos appeared on social media of Djokovic enjoying life, partying, having a good time on his yacht, and doing various different activities.
However, as a true professional, he knows when it's time to stop celebrating and get back to work, and it was just about now, as he started preparing for the 2024 US Open, with a first video of his practice session appearing online.
The Serbian tennis player has been preparing in Portonovi, Montenegro, and the most positive sign for his fans was certainly the fact that he appeared without a knee brace for the first time since his surgery after the French Open.
This clearly suggests that the 99-time titlist is fully healthy ahead of his title defense at Flushing Meadows. Last year, Djokovic won his record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, and since then, he has been attempting to become the first-ever tennis player to win 25 single major titles.
He reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, the Roland Garros quarter-finals, and the Wimbledon final, but he misses that one final step that would get him to the 25th Grand Slam title.
But if there is a time when Djokovic will be among the top favorites, after an unsuccessful 2024 season, which was completely changed by that Olympic triumph, it's now, as he will be more confident than ever, proving to everyone and himself that he can beat Alcaraz, even when the conditions are against him.
Djokovic is also ensured to enter the 2024 US Open as the second seed, meaning that he will avoid Jannik Sinner until the possible final match, and possibly, he could avoid also Alcaraz until a possible final meeting.
That is a massive advantage for the Serbian, compared to a situation, which would have occurred had Alcaraz reached the Cincinnati Open quarter-final, when the two youngsters would be the top two seeds, meaning that Djokovic would certainly have to face at least one of them before the final. That doesn't need to happen now.
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