Seven-time Grand slam champion John McEnroe has tipped Novak Djokovic to win the upcoming US Open. Djokovic has been in the form of his life as he has won all the three majors of the ongoing season and will enter the forthcoming major as one of the biggest favorites.
Djokovic couldn’t go on to win the Gold in the Tokyo Olympics and the former World no.1 McEnroe felt the heat was too hot to handle for the Serbian. The world no.1 is well known to bring his best in the Grand slam and he is going to be a force to be reckoned with for the next-generation players.
It is not going to be easy for the other players to put the brakes on Djokovic as he is playing the Tennis of his life. Djokovic is usually at his best in the five-set Grand slams as he has all the stamina and skills under his repertoire.
“I anticipate that he’s going to win the tournament, that’s what I anticipate,” declared McEnroe. “I felt before Wimbledon started that he was going to win the Grand Slam. I felt like he was going to lose at the Olympics. The two-out-of-three format, excessive travel, no fans, I think contributed. I think the heat is the big thing. “To me it’s going to be him against the field. I pick him right now. The heat could be an issue for any player, any top player, any player for that matter.
“That could be a deciding factor if he were to lose to someone, if he got stuck in a situation where he was playing in really hot conditions like it’s going to be tomorrow, if he was playing during the day. Otherwise I think he’s going to do it. “Obviously can make things more interesting and exciting at this tournament, see if he can pull off something that’s not been done since Laver in ’69. Exciting.”
Djokovic is currently tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at 20 slam titles and will have an opportunity to leapfrog his rivals in New York. Furthermore, the Serbian could become the first player since Rod Laver (1969) to clinch the Calendar Slam.
