"I have a feeling 25-26 is in store for next year at least" - Greg Rusedski on Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam tally
Novak Djokovic recently achieved a record-extending 24th Grand Slam title, prompting Greg Rusedski to suggest that the Serb is not planning to slow down any time soon.
Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in the summit clash of the 2023 US Open on Sunday, September 10. With the triumph, Djokovic became the first tennis player in the Open Era to reach 24 Majors while matching Margaret Court's all-time tally.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, Rusedski outlined the World No. 1's build-up to the 2023 US Open victory. The Brit highlighted Djokovic's Cincinnati Open campaign, where he managed to make a comeback, despite experiencing excruciating heat, to thwart Carlos Alcaraz's title chase in the final.
"He was struggling with heat strokes during that match because it was really hot in Cincinnati. He knows how to manage those situations, took a little more time, had the trainer come out, won that second set, and then all of a sudden, he pushed his win to the third set," Rusedski said.
The former World No. 4 reiterated the Serb's mental fortitude, saying that the Cincinnati Open win influenced his victory in the New York Major.
"Novak knew how to handle bigger situations. That was the defining match that got him to win the US Open," added former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski.
The 1997 US Open finalist further remarked that Djokovic might extend his Grand Slam streak, considering his most successful hunting ground on the tour — the Australian Open — is on the charts.
"Novak will be very pleased about 3-4 Majors this year and number 24. But also, coming up next year he's got the Australian Open, his most successful Major, so I have a feeling 25-26 is in store for next year at least," he added.
Novak Djokovic: “If I wasn't from Serbia, I’d have been glorified on a sporting level many years ago"
Novak Djokovic recently sat down with Sportklub following his US Open triumph and said he would have received greater plaudits if he was not born in Serbia.
When asked whether he should be in the discussion of the greatest athletes of all time, he said:
"I leave that up to you and everyone else, whether or not I deserve to be part of that discussion... but one thing is a fact, though – if I wasn’t from Serbia, I’d have been glorified on a sporting level many years ago, especially in the West."