5 things that could stop Novak Djokovic at the 2021 US Open
All eyes will be fixed on Novak Djokovic at this year's US Open, given that the Serb is on the cusp of history. Djokovic is one Slam away from becoming the first man in more than 50 years to complete the Calendar Year Grand Slam (winning all four Majors in a calendar year).
While that is a monumental feat in itself, it's not the only thing the Serb would be motivated for. If Novak Djokovic wins the US Open it would be his 21st Major, thus taking him past the record tally currently shared by him along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Novak Djokovic has always dreamt of holding the record for most Slams. At the same time, he is also chasing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win the Calendar Year Grand Slam or CYGS. It goes without saying, therefore, that the Serb will be under immense pressure when he takes the court in New York. He will be scrutinized for every single action he takes and every single shot he hits.
The fact that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem are missing in action would make the focus on the Serb even sharper.
Novak Djokovic would have a target on his back like never before, with the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas straining every fiber to try and beat him. Each of them would want to etch their name in the history books as the player who stopped Djokovic from immortality.
But Novak Djokovic is not considered the GOAT for nothing, and he is perfectly capable of overcoming every challenge that comes his way. There are no line judges this time either (Hawkeye live will be implemented on all courts), so the Serb will be in control of his own destiny.
For the sake of argument though, if Djokovic were to not win the US Open, what would be the likeliest obstacles to bring him down? Here's a look at five things that could, however improbable, thwart Novak Djokovic in his grand pursuit of the CYGS:
#1 The dual pressure of No. 21 and Calendar Year Grand Slam
Novak Djokovic has repeatedly made it clear that breaking the all-time Grand Slam record is his biggest objective. The record for most weeks as World No. 1 was also part of his dream, but now that he has ticked that box his entire focus is on the Slam tally.
The Calendar Grand Slam has arguably never been that high on the Serb's priority list since he has already won four in a row once (back in 2015-16). All the talk about CYGS began only after Djokovic triumphed at Roland Garros two months ago, and the noise has only grown louder since he triumphed at Wimbledon.
Given that Djokovic failed to win the Calendar Golden Slam at the Tokyo Olympics, there's no doubt that he would be keen to complete the CYGS at the very least. And the media hype around it will only grow with each match he wins in New York, just the way it happened with Serena Williams in 2015.
Still, winning No. 21 would arguably be the greater feat for Djokovic considering all that he has accomplished already. And the 34-year-old might feel the weight of that every time he steps on the court.
The pressure will likely increase manifold in the latter rounds, which could potentially affect him if he faces a top quality opponent.
#2 A potentially brutal draw
Novak Djokovic will be entering the 2021 US Open without much match practice. He could possibly have a few difficulties in the opening week, but he has navigated such situations expertly in the past.
The bigger problems, however, would lie in the second week, where Djokovic has the potential to face a host of big names back-to-back. There is a strong possibility that the Serb could face someone like a Grigor Dimitrov or a Jannik Sinner in the fourth round before taking on a Denis Shapovalov or a Matteo Berrettini in the last eight.
While Djokovic would be fancied to get past all of them, it remains to be seen how he deals with the worst-case scenario - facing Alexander Zverev in the semifinals and Daniil Medvedev in the summit clash.
Zverev and Medvedev have peaked at the right time, as evidenced by their title wins at Cincinnati and Toronto respectively. They have also beaten the Serb before, albeit in the best-of-three format. Perhaps more pertinently, Zverev came back from a set and a break down to beat Djokovic at the Tokyo Olympics last month.
Novak Djokovic's biggest advantage is that the Slams have best-of-five format, where he is still the undisputed king. But players like Zverev, Tsitsipas and Medvedev have been steadily improving, and it is not unthinkable to imagine they will beat the Serb in this format too sooner or later.
#3 Novak Djokovic's poor record in US Open finals
Novak Djokovic has lost in the final of the US Open on a whopping five occasions (2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2016). The number of finals he has lost at the other three Majors combined? Also five.
At the US Open, Djokovic has lost twice to Nadal and once each to Federer, Murray and Wawrinka. Three of those men are not in the draw this time, while Murray is a much-depleted version of the great champion he once was.
While the statistic of five finals lost is unlikely to bother Novak Djokovic much, it could give players like Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev an added shot of confidence. They would have the belief that the Serb is not as infallible at Flushing Meadows as he is in other parts of the world.
#4 Novak Djokovic himself
Men's tennis is currently at a stage where Novak Djokovic is pulling all the strings while the others play second fiddle. He wins when he wants to, which is almost always. And when he loses, it is more often than not due to his own issues rather than the opponent's superiority.
Djokovic is a player who regularly experiences a great deal of internal stress. At any given time he battles multiple demons within himself, and that could potentially come to the fore at this year's US Open given everything that is at stake.
The ghost of last year, where the Serb was defaulted after accidentally hitting a line judge, would undoubtedly be weighing on his mind too.
Novak Djokovic is a paragon of self-belief for the most part. But when he loses control of his emotions - like he also did at the Tokyo Olympics recently - he can become his own worst enemy.
#5 A combination of health concerns and the challenging conditions prevalent in New York
Novak Djokovic sustained a shoulder injury at the Tokyo Olympics, and at the time he wasn't sure it would heal in time for the US Open. On the off chance that his shoulder is still bothering him, Djokovic could be in for a tough time at the US Open.
Moreover, the Serb has occasionally struggled in the conditions at Flushing Meadows. In 2018 he was bothered (like many other players) by the extreme humidity, while in 2012 it was the wind that derailed him.
In the worst-case scenario, a combination of health concerns and tough on-court conditions could combine to create an unfavorable climate for Djokovic in his pursuit of Slam No. 21. He has proven in the past that he can overcome such obstacles, but it remains to be seen if he can do so even while dealing with the immense pressure of what he is on the cusp of achieving.