Jimmy Connors says he enjoys watching what Novak Djokovic is doing but admits it would require "a Herculean effort" for the 38-year-old to beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in back-to-back Grand Slam matches.
Following a Wimbledon semifinal exit, Djokovic took some time off to vacation and spend some quality time with his family, and he didn't play any tournaments leading up to the US Open. And while he lacked match practice and didn't look convincing in his opening couple of matches since he needed four sets against Zachary Svajda and Cameron Norrie, the world No. 4 raised his level against Taylor Fritz and ousted the home favorite to reach the semifinal.
ADVERTISEMENT
That's where Djokovic stumbled upon Carlos Alcaraz and couldn't go any further since the Spaniard handed him a straight-set defeat.
Connors highlights beating both Alcaraz and Sinner for a Grand Slam title would be very hard for Djokovic
"I enjoyed watching that match because I enjoyed watching a 37-38-year-old guy in the semifinals. And I could see that, and it took me back 30-something years, that man, chasing down those balls, five and six or seven of them at a time, just from side to side and bending down and getting up and trying to keep up with somebody that's 10, 12 years younger more, maybe even more years younger," the American tennis legend said on the Advantage Connors podcast.
"It just wears you down. And as great as Novak is and has been, and if he plays, will continue to be. Playing against those two guys, Sinner and Alcaraz, back to back, would be a Herculean effort for him to win a Grand Slam. Especially three out of five like this."
ADVERTISEMENT
Connors' take is legit. Djokovic made the semifinal in all four Grand Slams this year and Alcaraz and Sinner were the only reason why he didn't lift a Major trophy this year.
