Djokovic’s road to Grand Slam is literally tall task
Novak Djokovic has two young, 6-foot-6 tennis studs in his way to immortality in Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
First up Friday at 7 p.m. (ESPN) at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the U.S. Open semifinals is Zverev, who beat Djokovic in three sets at the Tokyo Olympic semifinals.
If Djokovic survives the red-hot German on Friday, it’s a good bet he’ll face the Russian Medvedev in Sunday’s finals. Medvedev, the No. 2 seed who made the Open finals in 2019, faces the underdog Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the other semifinal (3 p.m., ESPN).
If Djokovic takes out the two tall Europeans in Zverev and Medvedev backto-back, Djokovic will soar to a new tennis stratosphere in accomplishing the Grand Slam — sweeping all four of this year’s majors. Rod Laver is the last man to accomplish it 52 years ago and may be on hand Friday night.
An Open title also would also give Djokovic 21 majors to pass Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who each have 20.
“Before the tournament, I said Daniil and Zverev were the two guys with the best shot at beating him,’’ John McEnroe told The Post on Randall’s Island at Johnny Mac Tennis Project Media Day. “I’ve never seen guys that height move like they move. Used to be, I’m playing a guy 6-6, it was good, he can’t move.
“[Zverev] has got a shot. He’s a bigger server than [Matteo] Berrettini, moves better, has a much better backhand, and he can go after the ball.’’
Djokovic hasn’t been perfect in Flushing. He lost a set in four of his five matches — the opening set in three of those. In the quarterfinals, Djokovic lost the first set to Berrettini but rolled in the next three — 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. The match ended at 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
McEnroe sees the late ending as a slight negative, but added “Novak may be saving his best for last. The last three sets Thursday night were the best I’ve seen him play here. It doesn’t look like he’s wearing down to me.
“But he’s human. He’ll feel nerves. Will he feel it? He’s responded excellently so far, but I don’t think he wants to get a set behind Zverev.’’
Djokovic credits Zverev for a terrific Tokyo comeback when he got routed 6-1 in the third, but hopes the best-of-five format works to his advantage.
“I was 6-1, 3-2 against Zverev and I played great, great tennis,’’ Djokovic said. “Then unfortunately my game fell apart. I just started to doubt my shots. He started to read my serve well. He has a tremendous serve. He’s in a fantastic form. Next to Medvedev, best form. But it’s best-offive. It’s a Grand Slam.’’
Zverev said he has to “play perfect’’ to beat the 34-year-old Serbian superstar. ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe used a baseball analogy to describe Djokovic’s brilliance and called him “technically, the perfect tennis player.’’
“He has the ability, from any position, to tailor his shots any way he wants to,’’ Patrick McEnroe told The Post. “If he was a baseball player, he’d be a guy who can spread the ball anywhere in the park like a Pete Rose hitter. But then all of a sudden, he can hit a home run any time he wants. That versatility he has is uncanny.’’
Djokovic put it not so modestly after the Berrettini triumph.
“I know what my strengths are,’’ he said. “I stick to them. I’ve worked over the years to perfect my game so that my game can have literally no flaws.’’