US Open 2019: Analysing Novak Djokovic's route to the final
Defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic arrives at the US Open following a semifinal showing at the Cincinnati Masters, where he lost to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal.
Since a third round exit to Spain's Fernando Verdasco on his US Open debut in 2005 and another similar showing the following year, Djokovic has reached at least the semifinals in each of his last 11 appearances at Flushing Meadows (he did not participate in 2017).
The Serb has reached the title round at Flushing Meadows on eight occasions (joint best along with Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras) but like Lendl, Djokovic has fallen short in the US Open final five times.
Djokovic is one of seven players to have won 3 titles at the US Open, the others being the trio of Roger Federer, Sampras and Jimmy Connors with 5 apiece, and John McEnroe (4), Ivan Lendl (3) and Rafael Nadal (3).
Route to the final
Djokovic opens his 14th US Open campaign with a first-ever meeting with Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena. In an early test of his title credentials, the Serb could face the big-serving American Sam Querrey in the second round. Querrey beat Djokovic in the third round of Wimbledon in 2016 but trails 2-9 against the top seed in their head to head.
Compatriot Dusan Lajovic is the first seed in Djokovic's quarter of the draw. The top seed won the pair's two previous meetings.
If Djokovic reaches the fourth round, it could be either Stan Wawrinka, Kevin Anderson or the big-hitting Pole Hubert Hurkacz lying in wait. The Serb leads Wawrinka 19-5 in their head-to-head but lost to the Swiss in the 2016 title match at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic is 8-2 against Anderson and won their last meeting at a Grand Slam (2018 Wimbledon final). The Serb is unbeaten in two matches against Hurkacz.
A fourth-round win for Djokovic could set up a quarterfinal clash with Daniil Medvedev, in a re-match of the pair's 2019 Cincinnati semifinal which went the Russian's way in three sets. The Serb has a narrow 3-2 head to head lead over the Russian but has lost the pair's last two meetings.
If Djokovic passes the Medvedev test, he could be up against a familiar opponent in Roger Federer in the last four, in what would be the pair's fifth US Open semifinal encounter.
Djokovic and Federer clashed at the US Open for five successive years from 2007 to 2011 and then in the 2015 title match. Federer won their first three encounters (2007 final and 2008-09 semifinals) and could have had a 5-1 lead over his Serbian rival at the US Open had it not been for squandered match points in the 2010 and 2011 semifinals.
Djokovic has a 26-22 head to head lead over Federer and has won the last four meetings between the two. In fact, the Serb has not lost to Federer at a Grand Slam since the 2012 Wimbledon semifinals - a run which includes title matches at 2014, 2015, 2019 Wimbledon and the 2015 US Open.
Another win for Djokovic against Federer at a Grand Slam would carry the Serb to a record 9th final at the US Open, breaking a tie with Lendl and Sampras.
If the seeds hold in the bottom half of the draw, we could be set for a Nadal-Djokovic US Open final for the 4th time. Nadal and Djokovic are 4-4 in Grand Slam title matches and a win for either would ensure a 4th triumph at Flushing Meadows.
A win for Djokovic would make him the first player to successfully defend the US Open title since Federer in 2008. In the process, the Serb would also emulate Federer in becoming the only player to win three Grand Slam titles in a calendar year on three occasions (also 2011 and 2015).