“Don’t think Novak Djokovic would ever come in not expecting best of himself” – Jimmy Connors denies Serb being lax at US Open after Olympic glory
Former World No. 1 Jimmy Connors has denied Novak Djokovic being lax during his short campaign at the 2024 US Open. The Serb lost 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6 to Australia's Alexei Popyrin the third round to mark the first time since 2006 that he did not reach the second week of the New York Major.
He opened his journey with a straight-set win over Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot (6-2, 6-2, 6-4) and received a walkover against fellow Serb Laslo Djere (6-4, 6-4, 2-0) in the second round.
In the two matches, he struggled particularly with his serve, registering 10 double faults against Albot and eight vs Djere in less than three sets. The level of tennis he produced surprised many as he had just claimed a gold medal, which he chased his entire career, at the Paris Olympics without dropping a set throughout.
Eight-time Grand Slam champion Jimmy Connors and his son Brett recently sat down to decode what happened to Djokovic in New York. Brett wondered if the Serb didn't expect much of himself after basking in Olympic glory.
"When he got that medal and maybe relaxed a little, celebrated, had some fun, went to Serbia, hung out with his family and friends. He didn’t play any warm-up events. So do you think like his expectations coming in might not have been that high? He’s still probably reveling in the Olympic gold medal," Brett asked his father (at 19:43) in a recent episode of the Advantage Connors podcast.
Connors, now 72, disagreed with Brett's thought, saying:
"That certainly was an accomplishment and the one that was on his bucket list. He’s won everything else hasn’t he. But I don’t think, especially at this time, when he’s getting older and like everybody else, there’s gonna be an end, I don’t think he’d ever come in not expecting the best of himself."
"When Novak Djokovic ties those shoelaces, he expects to come in and be a winner" - Jimmy Connors
In the same episode of the Advantage Connors podcast, Jimmy Connors opined that a player like Novak Djokovic never expects anything less than being the winner every time he steps on the court. Connors said (at 20:43):
"Even though he did, maybe celebrate a little bit and have some fun all that, I still think when he ties those shoelaces, he expects to come in and be what he’s been all these years, and that’s a winner.
"But I will go back and say that was a priority and to come off of that and to have won it like he did, probably made him kind of have a different attitude towards a lot of things. But I don’t think he ever wants to cut himself short."
Notably, Djokovic matched his worst showings at the US Open with the 2024 results. He debuted at the New York Major in 2005 and bowed out in the third round. He reproduced the run in 2006.
Since then, the 24-time Grand Slam didn't lose a third-round match in the Big Apple until recently.