Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff launch their US Open title defences on Monday, Serbian famous person Djokovic aiming to observe up his emotional Paris Olympics triumph along with his first Grand Slam title of 2024. Djokovic, seeded second behind world primary Jannik Sinner, is vying to change into the primary man to repeat in New York since Roger Federer received 5 straight US Opens from 2004-2008. “Hopefully that modifications this yr,” Djokovic stated. “That is the purpose.” It has been an erratic yr for Djokovic, who was hindered by a knee harm and for the primary time since 2017 is trying on the prospect of a yr and not using a Grand Slam title.
The 37-year-old, whose 24 Grand Slam titles are tied with Aussie legend Margaret Courtroom for many all-time, says he nonetheless will get pumped up for the “pillars of our sport.”
And that is very true of the US Open, the place he’ll anchor the evening session taking up Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot.
“The US Open is a slam that holds the most important tennis courtroom on the planet,” Djokovic stated of the vitality on Arthur Ashe Stadium. “Evening periods at US Open are very well-known. I can not wait to be below the lights. the noise, the vitality of the stadium is simply completely different from the rest.”
Gauff, who has endured a dip in kind since profitable her maiden main final yr, closes the afternoon session on Ashe taking up 66th-ranked Varvara Gracheva of France.
Austrian Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, confronted Thirteenth-seeded American Ben Shelton, who’s aiming to enhance on his scintillating semi-final run final yr.
If Shelton prevails, it will mark the ultimate Grand Slam look for Thiem, who plans to retire on the finish of 2024 after a number of injury-plagued seasons.
Shelton is simply one of many US males out to finish a US Open title drought that now stretches over 20 years — again to Andy Roddick’s 2003 victory.
Compatriots Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe have been additionally in motion on Monday, Twelfth-seeded Fritz taking up Camilo Ugo Carabelli and twentieth seed Tiafoe — coming off a runner-up end to Sinner on the Cincinnati Masters — dealing with Aleksandar Kovacevic.
“I believe it is inevitable that we’ll have a Grand Slam champion from our nation,” Shelton stated earlier than the event. “I do not know when it’ll be or who it’ll be.”
Different notable matches on Monday noticed Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, seeded second behind world primary Iga Swiatek, taking up Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic dealing with Spain’s Marina Bassols Ribera.
In early motion, Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic of Croatia moved easily into the second spherical with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell.
There was extra Grand Slam disappointment for ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece, who retired with an obvious shoulder harm after dropping the primary set towards China’s Wang Yafan 6-2.
Sakkari hasn’t reached the second week of a serious because the 2022 Australian Open.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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