Jimmy Connors believes Novak Djokovic may still have a surprise in store for the US Open and has warned the rest of the ATP Tour not to count the Serb out just yet. The American tennis legend suggested Djokovic’s trademark grit could shine through once again at Flushing Meadows.
Despite reaching the semifinals in all three Grand Slams so far this year, Djokovic hasn’t been able to break through. He retired against Alexander Zverev in Australia, was beaten by Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon in straight sets, and also lost to Sinner in the Melbourne semis earlier this year. He was previously bested by Carlos Alcaraz in the 2023 Wimbledon final. With both Sinner and Alcaraz emerging as dominant Grand Slam forces, Djokovic seems to be lagging behind. Although still dangerous at 38, he hasn’t yet cracked the code against either of his younger rivals.
However, Connors is cautioning the tennis world against dismissing Djokovic’s chances in New York.
“I’m not counting him out,” Connors said on his Advantage Connors podcast. “When you’ve got guts, you’ve got guts. And sometimes, those guts just show up.”
He also believes Djokovic will be motivated to prove a point, especially after his disappointing showing at Wimbledon.
“I think he didn’t take that semifinal loss well. Losing in straight sets it’s not what he’s used to, and it’s not his style of play,” Connors continued. “So I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes to the US Open with something unexpected. He might shock a lot of people and I’d love to see it.”
Djokovic, for his part, was candid after his Wimbledon exit. He acknowledged the difficulty of going the distance in five-set matches at this stage of his career, especially when facing younger, high-powered opponents like Sinner and Alcaraz.
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