The 3 historical records Djokovic can break at the US Open 2026

Streaming ATP Kitzbuhel MD live tennis

🎾 Herbert/Krawietz vs Schnaitter/Wallner

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Novak Djokovic will arrive at the US Open 2026 with the possibility of breaking three historical records at Flushing Meadows, two of them without even needing to conquer the title. At 39 years old, the Serbian continues to extend an extraordinary longevity and will find new incentives in New York to enhance a career that already holds a good portion of the great tennis records.

Novak Djokovic has little or nothing left to prove, but his ability to continue subjecting his body to the demands of the highest level continues to provide fascinating chapters. The main objective will be, obviously, to lift that 25th Grand Slam that he has been pursuing since his last success in New York in 2023. However, his performance could also allow him to surpass several records held by two American legends: William Larned and Jimmy Connors.

While it is true that the Balkan has conquered the New York Grand Slam on 4 occasions, the fact is that he has also experienced great setbacks on these courts, such as the defeat in the final against Medvedev in 2021, when he was one step away from completing the Grand Slam that season by winning all four majors, the incident with a line judge in 2020 that led to his disqualification, the withdrawal due to injury against Wawrinka in 2019, or the surprising loss to Popyrin in 2024. It would have a poetic sense to achieve his 25th title on these courts, as well as to reach the other two records he will fervently pursue at Flushing Meadows this year.

1. Become the oldest male champion in the history of the US Open

This is the only one of the three records for which there are no shortcuts: Djokovic would have to win the tournament. William Larned remains the oldest male champion in the history of the American championship. He won the 1911 edition at 38 years, 8 months, and 3 days old, culminating a career in which he achieved seven titles. Djokovic already holds the record of the Open Era thanks to his 2023 triumph, achieved at 36 years and three months, but now he could also take possession of the absolute record.

The Serbian turned 39 years old on 22nd May, so if he could become champion in Flushing Meadows, he would surpass Larned's record. It would be a particularly symbolic achievement because it would mean breaking a record that has been in place for 115 years.

Furthermore, the sports reward would be incomparably greater. Djokovic won his 24th major precisely at the US Open 2023 and since then has repeatedly come close to expanding his list of achievements. Winning in New York would mean finally reaching the coveted 25th Grand Slam and doing so at an age at which no man has ever managed to lift this trophy.

2. Surpass Connors as the player with the most wins at the US Open

This record seems much more accessible and does not even require reaching the semifinals. Djokovic will arrive in New York with 95 victories at the US Open, while Jimmy Connors holds the male record with 98. The American finished his tournament career with a record of 98-17.

This means Djokovic needs four wins to surpass Connors and reach 99. Therefore, he would have to reach the quarterfinals, not just the fourth round: winning R1, R2, R3, and round of 16 would allow him to become the sole leader. It seems like a perfectly achievable goal considering his extraordinary relationship with Flushing Meadows. Djokovic has won there four times, in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023, and has also played in another six finals.

This figure would also serve to highlight his longevity. Connors participated in the US Open from 1970 to 1992 and made New York one of the key stages of his career. Djokovic being able to now take away one of his major records is another demonstration of how the Serbian continues to transform historical records in the final stretch of his career.

3. Be the player with the most matches played in the US Open history

There is a second Connors statistic that is seriously threatened. The American remains the player who has played the most individual matches in the history of the US Open, totaling 115. Djokovic will reach the 2026 edition with 110 matches.

The math here is different because both wins and losses count. To surpass Connors, Djokovic needs to play six matches during the tournament. This implies reaching the semifinals. If he reaches that round, he will have played his sixth match at the US Open 2026 and will reach 116 matches, regardless of what happens afterward. It is curious how Connors' two major records can fall without Djokovic needing to win the title.

Three records that perfectly summarize the greatness and longevity of Djokovic

The fascinating aspect is that these records belong to two different dimensions of his legacy. To become the oldest champion, he will have to continue demonstrating that, at 39 years old, he still possesses the necessary level to defeat the best players over seven matches and survive the immense physical demands of a Grand Slam.

The other two records speak of something different: persistence and longevity. Connors built much of his legend on an extraordinary ability to remain competitive for decades, precisely the historical territory that Djokovic is progressively conquering now that the purely triumphal records have been in his possession for some time.

And all this will have as a backdrop the main objective. Djokovic has not won a major since the US Open 2023 and continues to seek a 25th Grand Slam that would further expand his male record. Sinner, Alcaraz, and a new generation have greatly increased the difficulty of the mission, while his body demands increasingly more time to recover, something that the Serbian himself has been acknowledging.

But therein lies much of the magnetism that his participation in the US Open 2026 will hold. Novak Djokovic no longer needs to prove anything or pursue records to validate his career. He continues to do so because he keeps finding reasons to compete. And New York can offer him three new historical records, two of them achievable even without raising the trophy, while pursuing what is probably the great pending dream of this final stage of his career: to become a Grand Slam champion once again.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 3 récords históricos que Djokovic puede batir en el US Open 2026