All Novak Djokovic needs to kick-off a record-extending 390th week atop the ATP rankings is a first-round win in this sun-sparked New York borough of Queens. The 36-year-old hasn't lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament since 2006.
A mere 20 points separates world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz from the No. 2 Djokovic in the rankings heading into the US Open, starting Monday. Even in an age of few certainties, Djokovic himself being one of those indelible, time-tested designs, Alexandre Muller, ranked 85, from the commune of Poissy located in north-central France, isn't expected to rock the boat in the first round.
That's a matter of rankings, the story itself has been a rage of the sporting world. A man, a boy, a cross-generational clash.
Alcaraz, ripped frame and raging talent, inspired a tectonic shift in the sport with his triumph at Wimbledon in July.
Just when the bells chimed to the winds of change, the promise of youth, Djokovic came up with a masterclass in the great American Midwest. The Serb showed remarkable volition, battling back from a set and 2-4 down, warding off a match point in the second set tie-break, taking Alcaraz down in just under four hours.
"The more you find yourself in those circumstances, experiencing adversity on the court, that's the best opportunity for you to grow mentally, to learn something," said Djokovic, who could play Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last eight. "In the face of adversity is where you learn the most. That's my mentality in these matches, trying not to accept defeat as an option and giving it my all."
The 23-time major winner added, "It's kind of a cat-and-mouse play on the court. There's a lot happening. You're trying to outsmart your opponent tactically, but then you have to fight with your own demons as well, the self-doubt, tension, all the things that are happening in the midst of such a battle."
The Serb, a 35-time major finalist, who has lost in the title round 12 times, six of them in New York, is returning to the United States for the first time in two years.
"It's been two years since I lost in the final to (Daniil) Medvedev in '21, I was going for the (Calendar) Slam that year," he said. "I didn't play well that day, but what I felt from the crowd, the love and support they gave me is something that I still carry in my heart. I still feel vibes from the night of the final two years ago."
In the last sixteen months, Alcaraz and Djokovic have met four times and their career head-to-head stands at two wins apiece.
Alcaraz, 'Carlitos' to his burgeoning fan club, begins his title defence in New York against German Dominik Koepfer. Alcaraz could meet the sixth-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, in a rematch of their epic from 12 months ago. The other quarterfinals in the top half of the draw could pit childhood friends Russians Medvedev against Andrey Rublev.
Alcaraz is not thinking about title defence nor is he focusing on a fifth meeting with Djokovic.
"This practice week, I try to do exactly the same thing that I did last year, trying to practice the same way and focus on that," said the 20-year-old. "I'm not focusing on defending champion, points, whatever. I want to show my best level."
