Big Four reunited in the Big Apple

HE IS HEADING FOR US OPEN IN FINE FETTLE

From the pits of despair in Paris, record-setting Novak Djokovic is eyeing a third US Open title where for the first time since Wimbledon last year, the sport’s “Big Four” will be reunited.

Djokovic became the first man to win all nine Masters titles with victory over Roger Federer at Cincinnati on Sunday.

Having captured, against all the odds, a fourth Wimbledon in July, the 31-year-old Serb suddenly finds himself as joint-favourite with world No 1 Rafael Nadal to triumph at Flushing Meadows.

Champion in 2011 and 2015, and a five-time runner-up, Djokovic sat out the 2017 US Open to nurse an elbow injury.

His physical limitations were still evident when he slumped away from Roland Garros in June after a shock quarterfinal loss to journeyman Marco Cecchinato, threatening to skip Wimbledon to mend his shattered self-confidence.

Fast forward three months and Djokovic is once again the man to beat.

“It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s been a couple of tough months for me with an injury but then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph took his Grand Slam title collection to 13, just one behind Pete Sampras.

He also has 31 Masters, two behind Nadal but four more than Federer.

He will head for New York buoyed by his dominance over his three major rivals as well – he leads Nadal 27-25, Federer 24-22 and Andy Murray 25-11. – AFP