NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic hesitated to call the US Open a now-or-never moment, but the history-hunting Serb noted on Friday that an opportunity for a calendar year Grand Slam could be one of them.

The fact that only two male tennis players — Rod Laver and Don Budge — have ever achieved the feat underscores just how rare such moments are.

Throw in that a Djokovic calendar Slam — winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year — would be crowned by a record-setting 21st major title and the stakes may be as high as they have ever been for a player at a single tennis event.

“I don’t want to say it’s now or never for me because I think I’m going to have more opportunities in my life to win slams. I don’t know if I’m going to be having more opportunities to win calendar slams. That’s why it’s a very unique opportunity,” Djokovic told reporters in New York.

“At the same time, I don’t need to put any additional pressure to what I already have, which is pretty big from my own self and from of course people around me,” Djokovic added.

Djokovic has said several times that pressure is a privilege, and the world’s top-ranked player can expect piles of it when play gets underway on Monday at Flushing Meadows.

Not since Laver in 1969 has a man won the four Grand Slam titles in the same year. With Big Three rivals Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal out with injuries, Djokovic is a favourite to join that exclusive club.

“Obviously I know how big of an opportunity this is in front of me here in New York, where historically I’ve played really well over the years. But I thrive under pressure, as well. I’ve done that many times in my career,” Djokovic said.

OSAKA BATS ASIDE DISAPPOINTMENT

Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka did not appear to be too worried over her recent run of poor results in the run up to the US Open and remained confident about chances of successfully defending her title at Flushing Meadows.

The world number three picked up the Australian Open title in February but after withdrawing from the French Open and skipping the grasscourt season to protect her mental health, she has struggled to regain her top form over the past month.

Early defeats at both the Tokyo Olympics and in Cincinnati raised questions about the four-time Grand Slam champion’s form.

However, the 23-year-old Japanese power hitter said she was happy with her game.

“I feel pretty happy with how I’m playing. I thought I played two really tough matches in Cincinnati,” Osaka told reporters.

“Of course I’m not, like, declaring that I’ll do amazing here. For me, I’m the one-match-at-a-time like person.”

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2021