Sports journalist John Wertheim has predicted a Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz final at the 2024 US Open, comparing Djokovic’s performance to that of American legend Jimmy Connors when he was 39 years old.
At the 1991 US Open, Jimmy Connors returned from an injury to his left wrist that required surgery and had limited him to playing just a few matches the previous season. He defeated Patrick McEnroe, Michiel Schapers, Karel Nováček, and Aaron Krickstein in the opening rounds. In the quarterfinals, Connors beat Paul Haarhuis before being knocked out in the semifinals by Jim Courier in straight sets.
In a recent interview with Tennis Channel, Wertheim predicted that fans could see Novak Djokovic taking on Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 US Open final. He said:
“Do you guys remember when Jimmy Connors made his run at 39 years old, and geritol and bananas… Djokovic is 37 plus. He is the defending champion. He is number 2 with the oddsmakers. He just won the Olympic gold medal, it’s not for sentimentality reasons that he is Number 2, and if we get another Alcaraz-Djokovic final, I think a lot of people will be okay with that,” Werthiem said.
Jimmy Connors had a decorated career, winning 109 singles titles, including eight Grand Slam singles titles. The American also holds the record for playing the most matches in the Open Era and for having the most wins.
Novak Djokovic on why he didn’t participate in other tournaments during the American hard court swing ahead of the 2024 US Open – “I’m not in my twenties anymore”
Novak Djokovic aims to win his 25th Grand Slam at the US Open – Source: Getty
Novak Djokovic aims to win his 25th Grand Slam at the US Open – Source: Getty
Novak Djokovic recently cited fitness reasons and his age as the reasons for not participating in any tournaments during the American hard court swing since his gold medal triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While speaking to the press on Saturday after a practice session, he said he had experienced some fitness issues while practicing but that they were not serious in the broader context.
“On Friday I practiced for an hour on the outside courts, and then I had some issues, so I didn’t practice any further at Arthur Ashe. Today [on Saturday], it wasn’t much of an issue, so I practiced with [Stan] Wawrinka both on the outside court and on Ashe, where we get an hour per day. So far, everything is fine, it’s nothing serious in the wider context,” the Serb said.
He added that he isn’t in his twenties anymore and will prioritize Grand Slams, the Davis Cup, and the Olympics, as they inspire him to compete.
“I’m not in my twenties anymore, I can’t chase the tournaments that are not absolute priority. As you guys know, those are Slams, Davis Cup and the Olympics. Those inspire me to compete, but I also enjoy the process of practice, of building up your form, body, and mind for the biggest challenges, such as this one in New York,” he added.
Novak Djokovic will begin his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title by facing 34-year-old Moldovan Radu Albot in his first-round match on Tuesday (August 27). This will be their first meeting on the ATP tour.