Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Aug 30: Novak Djokovic heads into the US Open with renewed confidence after an early exit at the Cincinnati Open gave the 39-year-old Serbian extra time to prepare for his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

The fourth-seeded Djokovic will begin his campaign against Argentina's Mariano Navone in the first round at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday night.

Djokovic, who holds the record with 24 Grand Slam titles, said he was disappointed by his early Cincinnati exit but viewed the additional preparation time as a positive ahead of the year's final Grand Slam.

"I don't like early losses anywhere, to be honest, but it gave me time to be preparing for the US Open in a most adequate way," Djokovic said.

"I had two weeks to really train and get my body and mind into the right state, prepared for what's coming up."

Djokovic's last competitive appearance before Cincinnati was at Wimbledon, where he reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. He subsequently lost to Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round at Cincinnati after struggling with the heat and taking a medical timeout.

The Serbian star has played only 16 tournaments this year. He reached the Australian Open final before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, exited in the third round of the French Open and advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals.

Djokovic said he remains cautious about his opening-round opponent despite being the favourite against Navone.

"Let's see how it goes," he said. "The opening matches are always for me, particularly in the last few years, quite challenging. So, hopefully I can overcome the first hurdle and build from there."

The match will mark Djokovic's 20th appearance in the US Open men's singles draw, putting him alongside Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Feliciano Lopez as the only men to reach that milestone.

"I'm very proud of that," Djokovic said. "Obviously, longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger: trying to have long career, trying to have more shots at Grand Slam and stay healthy long enough so that I can perform for as many years as possible."

Djokovic made his US Open debut in 2005 against Gael Monfils in a five-set match. Twenty years later, both veterans remain in the field, with Monfils also making another appearance at Flushing Meadows.

"Here we are 20 years later," Djokovic said. "We're both still grinding and representing the older generation."

Djokovic has won the US Open four times, lifting the trophy in 2011, 2015, 2018 and 2023. He owns a 95-15 record at the tournament and will be seeking his fifth title in New York.

A victory this year would give Djokovic his 25th Grand Slam singles crown, taking him past Margaret Court's record of 24 major singles titles.

The Serbian is also looking to end a run of Grand Slam near-misses since his last major triumph at the 2023 US Open. He has reached multiple Grand Slam semifinals and finals since equalling Court's record but has been unable to claim No. 25.

Djokovic's path to the title could also be affected by the absence of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has withdrawn from the tournament with a knee injury, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is returning after a lengthy injury absence.

Djokovic's opening-round encounter with Navone is scheduled for Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium as the US Open begins its 2026 edition in New York.