US Open 2018: Three reasons why Novak Djokovic will win the Grand Slam

Tennis is a taxing sport. While it takes a toll on the body, it nibbles at the mental fortitude as well. Dealing with injuries and enduring tough, wafer-thin losses, it only takes supernatural powers for athletes to sustain the treacherous journey and catapult themselves to the zenith.

To say a Man called Novak Djokovic is one such who has walked to the fore from the throes of the dark is indeed the biggest story of a stellar comeback this ATP season.

Closing in on a Third US Open title and a Fourteenth Major title, Djokovic is that Warrior on a mission who does not want to look back.

Roaring his lungs out, pointing to the skies as a mark of gratitude, Djokovic is well versed with what it takes to reach where he now has, the final of a Major for a second time in this season after enduring the roughest patch of his life last year.

Having completed a career Grand Slam at the 2016 French Open where he held all four Majors at once, since Rod Laver in 1969, Djokovic was the one who was only used to winning and barely could be defeated.

But then Time is a cruel Master and even the best of the best are not spared. A bruised bone due to excessive playing became the culprit that wore out the champion like Djokovic.

Rewind back to that unfortunate month of July in 2017, Djokovic, then ranked No. 4 in the World was forced to retire from his quarter-final match against Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon due to a chronic elbow injury.

The Serbian who was battling with the pain since the beginning of 2016 had finally made a decision to sit out the rest of the season in 2017 and attend the call of his health.

It was obviously not easy for someone like Novak, who had never missed out on a Major tournament ever since he entered his first at the 2005 Australian Open.

He had to his resume the third-longest active run in the Men’s on the ATP Tour. His disappointment was surely fathomless. But The Serbian had one very very precious virtue, that of determination.

The vow he had taken that he would come back roaring, that he would never give up and that he would touch the zenith of the sport which was once his home for those splendid six long years is now indeed turning out to be true and how.

Winning eleven Majors in those stellar years, Djokovic used to be that trooper whom no opponent wanted to face off fearing the bludgeoning that the Serb was capable of inflicting.

Djokovic, is now once again back to that dominant self, replete with the hunger to excel and the famish of a win that drives him to do what otherwise is impossible in the face of career-threatening injuries.

While the Arthur Ashe will be eager to witness the final showdown on Sunday, here are three reasons why I feel convinced that Novak Djokovic will emerge triumphant for the third time at Flushing Meadows.

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#1 The ability to turn the tables is back and is here to stay

Capturing his fourth Wimbledon title on the Lawns of the All England Club, the same venue where last year he was left heartbroken, in pain, with a mind clouded with doubts about his comeback, Djokovic proved this year that he still has the attributes of a champion.

It can be very well deemed that perhaps those qualities had never left but only subdued in physical pain for a short stint.

Agree, he might not have looked at his very best during Wimbledon. His serve was not even close to what it used to be in 2015 or early 2016 where he used to be close to the top 5 in terms of service games won.

But the determination was showing. And he held aloft the Wimbledon trophy which worked as an emollient on his tormented soul that was ripped into pieces on those greens last season.

Emulating the comebacks of the Great Roger Federer and Spanish stalwart Rafael Nadal last season where both won Two of the Four Majors each, Djokovic is here and now on the threshold of doing the same feat.

The resurgence of the Serb is for real and it is just about time we see him triumph at Flushing Meadows again.

The ‘Never give up’ attitude has been the signature line of Novak’s life. For the naysayers and all those who wrote him off after that adversity, Djokovic has come back to turn the tables indeed.

With due respect to his opponent, the Gentle giant, Juan Martin Del Potro, who does have the weapons to hurt Novak, it still seems beyond comprehension that the Serb will allow this monumental chance to slip out.

Knowing well, the Argentine’s court movement can be his weak point, Djokovic will most certainly pounce by making the most of this flaw to wear him down. While Novak has this insane ability of clawing back into a match just like Nadal, this Finale should be all fireworks which will bring out the best from both the supreme athletes on Ashe.

#2 A winning head to head 14-4 against Del Potro

Four times, they both have met at Majors and all four times, it was the Serb who took the cake

Having got the better of Juan Martin Del Potro fourteen times out of the 18 encounters lends Djokovic that extra edge of having a chance to force the Argentine into submission once again.

Four times, they both have met at Majors and all four times, it was the Serb who took the cake.

The Last Major when they squared off was the 2013 Wimbledon semi-finals. It was a tight match of five sets where Djokovic survived the Argentine scare.

With Del Potro’s defence not as clutch, it will be a monumental task for the Argentine if at all he has to have a chance at throwing some thunder against the fired-up Djokovic.

The Serb's aggressive play if not tackled with finesse from the beginning, there will be no room for Del Potro whatsoever to withstand the Djokovic carnage.

As for Djokovic, he is operating at a high level from the past few weeks. Dispatching Kei Nishikori in straight sets, Djokovic played a flawless semi-final and perhaps the best match in recent times.

I am pretty much sure that he will ride that momentum to lay his hands on the trophy in New York tomorrow.

#3 His recent feats have swelled him with confidence

31-year-old Djokovic became the first Man in History to win all Nine Masters 1000 titles

After his scintillating triumph at Wimbledon this season, Djokovic has been unstoppable. A fourth-round finish in Toronto and then the magical run in Cincinnati, 31-year-old Djokovic became the first Man in History to win all Nine Masters 1000 titles.

With grabbing that piece of history, Djokovic has a different level of confidence and he looks invincible in New York.

The manner in which he bundled out Nishikori was in itself a statement from Novak. He had won all his four matches before in straight sets after dropping sets in his first two matches.

The Serb barely allowed the Japanese to settle in the match. He won 80% of the first serve points and 71% of his second serves. Worth mentioning that Nishikori is a brilliant returner, but yesterday in the semi-final, Novak did not allow Kei the privilege of hurting him in any way.

Sparing Nishikori just nine games in three sets itself speaks volumes of the rampaging form that the Serb is riding.

Djokovic is now just a win away from a Wimbledon-US Open double for a third time in his career.

He has done that feat back in 2011 and 2015. Djokovic is on the verge of sitting next to the great Pete Sampras with 14 Majors if he succeeds in edging past the Argentine in the summit clash of the US Open.

Albeit Del Potro is not going to leave any stone unturned in capturing his second Major after 2009 at the US Open.

The Argentine has had multiple wrist injuries and like Novak is trying to get back at the zenith. His story of a supreme fighting ability is also the one that can leave eyes moist and a heart that can go out for that gentle human being that he is.

As of now, the Man in question is Djokovic and it will be interesting to see if he translates his commendable form to close out on a memorable season.