Jill
Craybas highlighted
Novak Djokovic's competitive spirit and his perseverance to
keep improving, just before the start of the 2023
US Open.
The former
American player appeared on an episode of the "ATP Tennis Radio
Podcast" alongside Chris Bowers, discussing the preview of the last Grand
Slam of the year. Jill Craybas shared her insights on Djokovic's performance
this time without the presence of his main rivals,
Rafael Nadal and Roger
Federer.
Former
world No. 39 Jill Craybas also included
Andy Murray in the Big Four group,
which consistently pushed Djokovic to enhance his game throughout his career.
“Djokovic,
Federer, Nadal, Murray all those guys have the mindset to always want to get
better. I don’t think they ever stop, I think it’s just innate in them to
constantly improve and constantly get better, so, for me I think Djokovic is
constantly improving,” she said.
“He does so
have that aura about him when he goes out and I think there are some guys who
just don’t think that they can do it against him, and he’s proven it over and
over again but I don’t think Djokovic is ever gonna let’s say stall and not try
and get better”, Jill Craybas added.
Djokovic
arrives with a strong level of play after winning the Cincinnati Open, where he
defeated the world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final with a score of 5-7,
7-6(7), 7-6(4).
Despite
having an 86% winning record at Flushing Meadows with 81 victories and 13
losses, Djokovic has "only" claimed the title three times and has
been runner-up in six finals of the tournament. The Serbian player emerged as
the champion in 2011, 2015, and 2018.
On the
other hand, among the finals he lost are those against
Roger Federer, Rafael
Nadal (twice), Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, and Daniil Medvedev. The defeat
against the Russian player was particularly tough in 2021, as Djokovic arrived
with a 27-0 record in Grand Slams that year and had the opportunity to win the
annual Grand Slam, but he didn't manage to secure the title.