Is Djokovic optimistic before the US Open?: "If you ask me if I'm ready, I think I am"

Carlos Navarro - 29 Aug 2026 | 23:38
Novak Djokovic ATP US Open 2026 Rueda de prensa

Before his debut in New York, Nole reflected on his form, the importance of the defeat in Cincinnati... and revealed that his latest documentary is "just the beginning" of possible new audiovisual adventures.

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Can Djokovic win the US Open? He answers himself.

All eyes are on 'The Wolf in Winter'. As if it were a renewed image before the world, Novak Djokovic faces another appointment with destiny in New York, an opportunity to redeem himself from his recent setbacks and find in the US Open 2026 the perfect moment and place to conquer his 25th Grand Slam. It won't be an easy task, although his list of rivals does not include one of his recent nemeses (Jannik Sinner), while the guy who defeated him last year, Carlos Alcaraz, arrives at Flushing Meadows wrapped in cotton.

None of this will matter to a Novak Djokovic whose goal is to 'set things right' at home first, especially after his disappointing performance in Cincinnati. There, a victim of humidity and high temperatures, he fell at the first hurdle... in conditions that can easily be replicated in New York, which forces him to sharpen his physical condition if he wants options in five-set territory. Close to 40, Nole continues to be Nole, and he wants to prove it in the Big Apple: no one better than him to talk about his feelings, what it means to lose several peers from his generation, his documentary... and the million-dollar question: is he ready to win the US Open?

Djokovic spoke at length about his documentary and made it clear that he might embark on new audiovisual projects in the coming years

About his preparation before the US Open and what the loss in Cincinnati to Tirante meant for him

"I don't like to lose early in any tournament, honestly, but that loss gave me time to prepare for the US Open in a more appropriate way. I had a few weeks, two weeks, in fact, to train and bring my body and mind to an ideal state, preparing for what lies ahead. If you ask me if I’m ready, I think I am, as ready as I can be, although training and stepping onto Arthur Ashe to play the best of five sets are two completely different things. You normally don't play five-set matches in training sessions. We'll see how it all goes. The initial matches are very demanding for me, especially in recent years. I hope to overcome the first obstacle and build from there."

About the project of his documentary, 'The Wolf in Winter', and whether he is satisfied with the result: watch out for possible new adventures

"I am proud to have presented my story to the world for the first time in this format. It took me several years to finalize and execute this project. It was not something independent: it was done together with Amazon Prime, and I am very grateful for their support and willingness to be partners on this journey. Also to Jason (Hehir, the documentary's director), who directed The Last Dance, which had great success with the documentary about Michael (Jordan) and who joined in with the ambition to tell my story through his lens.

It was a unique experience for me, the first time doing something like this. I feel this is just the beginning. I would love to delve deeper into different topics. I hope there is more interest and hunger to explore different aspects of my career: from what I am hearing and reading, there is. I am open to doing it, perhaps in a somewhat different format, in a series. There are so many things that can and that I want to share with the public, but in a 90-minute format, it was very difficult to condense everything, to tell the whole story, so many things were left out or given very limited time in the documentary.

Even so, being at the epicenter of this story makes it hard for me to be objective. I am not impartial; I speak from subjectivity. I leave the feedback and opinions to others. So far, what I have heard is positive, which is fantastic. For me, it was a different experience; I’m not used to having cameras in my house while I'm with my family in our home life. I’m not accustomed to having someone be part of a family unit and asking deep questions about my mentality, personal things, all of that... in a way, opening up and creating space to respond to all that was a challenge for me, but I also learned that perhaps it’s the best way to present my story in the most authentic manner, and I respect that. When I look at other documentaries, I love to see that raw and honest side, the one that hasn't been told, of an athlete's story or anyone's."

About how he has maintained his ability to compete at the highest level up until nearly 40 years old, especially in the context of all the injuries suffered by younger players today, and whether he would be open to sharing his 'method' with them

"I have been doing that for several years, directly with athletes. And I speak of the word 'athletes' because there are some who have asked me who come from other sports. I will not name names for privacy and respect, but yes, I have been communicating with them for years. Whether I’m the one giving them advice or I’m the one asking them about themselves, I always think that talking with athletes will teach you a lot. That’s my mentality. You can always learn from people who think like you, who have had similar experiences to yours, people from your same 'trade'. Whether through more structured formats or through the press, a book, things like that... yes, I feel we are working on sharing that philosophy. It will come out in the future."

Only three other players have competed in 20 editions of the US Open, a milestone he will reach this year

"I am very proud. Achieving a certain longevity has always been one of my goals when I was younger, trying to have a long career, many opportunities in Grand Slams, staying healthy for as long as possible to be able to compete for as many years as possible. I read somewhere that three or four of us already played here in 2006. I think it was Wawrinka, Monfils, and Cilic: it’s great to be able to turn back the clock. I think I actually faced Monfils here in my first US Open, in a five-set match... and here we are 20 years later, fighting and representing the older generation (smiles)."

About Kei Nishikori's retirement

"I have said several times in the past that Kei is one of the most talented players I have faced and have seen play. Incredible footwork, super fast, very comfortable being aggressive and playing close to the baseline, and doing it just as quickly and with the same precision on all surfaces. He was a tough opponent. It's a shame he struggled so much with injuries throughout his career. I am convinced he would have achieved even more success had he been a bit healthier at certain moments. I wish him all the best in his retirement. He has made history for Japanese tennis and for the sport in his country, so his family and people should be very proud of everything he has accomplished."

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