NEW YORK, Aug 22 (V7N)- In sports, Novak Djokovic, fresh off an emotional Olympic triumph, is eyeing new Grand Slam records at the US Open, which kicks off on Monday. The defending champion, who could become the oldest Open era winner with a fifth title, is also looking to surpass Margaret Court's record with a 25th Grand Slam victory.
The tournament comes at a pivotal moment for Djokovic. After being dethroned at the Australian Open by Jannik Sinner and losing his world number one ranking, the 37-year-old Serbian star returned to glory at the Olympics, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic final. The victory secured Djokovic a career Golden Slam and silenced critics who doubted his ability to compete with the younger generation.
However, Sinner's triumph in the Cincinnati Masters has been overshadowed by controversy. The Italian was recently cleared of any wrongdoing after testing positive for the banned substance clostebol earlier this season. Officials accepted Sinner's explanation that the positive result was due to contamination from a support team member. The decision sparked outrage, with Australian star Nick Kyrgios calling the ruling "ridiculous."
Meanwhile, Alcaraz, who claimed his first major at the US Open last year, has had a rocky lead-up to this year's tournament. The young Spaniard was visibly shaken by his Olympic defeat and suffered a surprising second-round exit in Cincinnati. He described the loss as the "worst match" of his career.
In women's tennis, defending US Open champion Coco Gauff has struggled to find form in recent weeks, while world number one Iga Swiatek and Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka are both looking strong. Gauff is aiming to become the first woman to defend her US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014, but she faces stiff competition in New York.
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