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Novak Djokovic hopes losing early at Cincinnati has him more prepared for the US Open
Novak Djokovic says the early loss gave him two weeks to train and reset before chasing a 25th Grand Slam title.
Fourth-Seeded Novak Djokovic begins his quest for a 25th Grand Slam championship on Sunday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, facing Argentina's Mariano Navone in his opening match at the U.S. Open.
Fresh off an early exit at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month, the 39-year-old had two weeks to train and prepare his body and mind for the tournament ahead.
This marks Djokovic's 20th appearance in the Open, joining Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Feliciano Lopez as the only men's singles players to reach that milestone while holding a record 24 Grand Slam titles.
Despite being a sizable favorite, Djokovic is not overlooking Navone, saying, "The opening matches are always for me, particularly in the last few years, quite challenging."
Reflecting on his career longevity, Djokovic said, "Here we are 20 years later," noting he and others are "still grinding and representing the older generation" while performing at the highest level.