Three Wins From History
Novak Djokovic has collected virtually every meaningful record in professional tennis, but one more milestone is sitting tantalisingly close. Heading into the 2026 US Open, Djokovic sits on 95 career singles victories at Flushing Meadows, three behind Jimmy Connors' Open Era record of 98. Connors built that total across 21 appearances between 1971 and 1992, winning the title five times in nine years. Djokovic, now appearing at the tournament for a record-breaking 20th time, needs only a quarterfinal run to surpass the American legend and become the most successful player in US Open history. Roger Federer is the next name on the list with 89 wins, meaning Djokovic already has a comfortable lead over his longtime rival.
A Familiar Road to the Second Week
Djokovic's history at the event makes that quarterfinal target look very achievable. In 19 previous appearances, he has fallen before the last eight on just five occasions. Two of those exits came during his teenage years in 2005 and 2006, one was the infamous 2020 disqualification after he accidentally struck a line judge with a ball during his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta, and the most recent was a 2024 third-round loss to Alexei Popyrin. He has reached the semifinal stage or further eleven times overall, including five times in the last decade alone.
Preparations in New York have included a practice session with Denis Shapovalov, the Canadian who reached a career-high ranking of world number 10 but has since slipped to number 48. Djokovic holds an 8-0 head-to-head record against Shapovalov. With Jannik Sinner withdrawn and Carlos Alcaraz returning from a wrist injury, TennisDraw users have been loading up on Djokovic deep-run bracket picks heading into the draw.
