Jimmy Connors believes Novak Djokovic could still make a run for the US Open main glory but the former eight-time Grand Slam champion admits he is "worried" over the Serb not playing a single match leading up to the final Major of the year.
After losing in straight sets to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinal - in a match where he appeared to be bothered by a leg injury he picked up a round earlier - the current world No. 6 decided to skip the Toronto Masters. Last week, the 38-year-old also pulled out of the ongoing Cincinnati Masters.
The moment Djokovic withdrew from Cincinnati, that meant he would enter a second Grand Slam in a row without playing any official tournaments leading up to it. During this past grass swing, the former world No. 1 played only one exhibition match in Hurlingham before going to Wimbledon.
Connors: One thing worries me... I wish Djokovic went to Cincinnati and played a few matches there
"You cant count him out. The only thing that is worrying me, is I wish he would go to Cincinnati and just go and play two or three matches. That is the only thing that worries me that he left Wimbledon in the semis, which was a pretty good result, but he didnt play in that match like he wanted to and lost in three straight. Then to take two and a half months off, he has a family, going on vacation and getting away. But you never know," the American tennis legend said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
Djokovic not playing much before a Grand Slam isn't anything unusual - he did it many times in the past and you know how that usually went for the Serb. However, it has been a completely different story the past two years with the rise of Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Last year, Djokovic stunningly lost in the US Open third round to Alexei Popyrin, but he was tired and exhausted following his Paris Olympics win. This year, the 38-year-old Serb is at least guaranteed to enter the last Grand Slam of the year fresh.
