Former ATP No. 1 John McEnroe heaped praise on 23-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic for his remarkable resilience and longevity.
McEnroe spoke to the media ahead of the 2023 US Open and gave his thoughts on the incredible Cincinnati final at the weekend in which Djokovic avenged his Wimbledon defeat by beating Carlos Alcaraz in a near four-hour epic.
The American great was lost for words at the outstanding level of tennis that both players produced and admitted he'd put his patriotism aside in favor of another matchup between the world's top two players in New York, which if the seeds hold can only happen in the final.
There were two sides to the coin in the lead-up to the US Open. One is that Alcaraz is here for the long haul. And the second side is the feel-good story of Djokovic returning to US soil for the first time in two years. McEnroe was startled at Djokovic's level and is confident he could do it for another three to four years.
"He looked amazing (in the Cincinnati final). It was extremely hot and was struggling with the heat. He somehow found a way. It's unbelievable that he is so good at this age. The way he looks, it looks like he can do it 3-4 more years the way he is going. It's hard to believe that anyone can do it as well as he is doing even at this age. It's unprecedented."
Djokovic has not shown any signs of slowing down this season as he owns the second-best win-loss record this season (88.4%), having won 38 of his 43 matches.
The Serbian star will look to address his modest record at the US Open where he has won three titles from nine finals - hardly his best stat given the lofty standards he's set for himself. If Djokovic is to add a fourth title in New York, he would equal Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slams.
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