Novak Djokovic set yet another record when he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open on Sunday.
Just when you thought Djokovic didn’t have any more Grand Slam records to break, up pops another one as he has now edged past Roger Federer for yet another milestone in men’s singles history.
Big Three rivals Djokovic and Federer were tied on eight for reaching the quarter-finals of all four Grand Slams in the same year, but the Serbian’s latest win at the US Open has seen him move ahead of the Swiss.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner brushed aside German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows to reach the magical No. 9.
Djokovic had also achieved the feat in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, and 2023. Federer achieved his eight consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances in consecutive years from 2005-12.
There is a good omen for Djokovic as in each of the aforementioned eight seasons, he won at least one Grand Slam during the calendar year. He, of course, is yet to win a major since lifting the 2023 US Open crown.
Aged 38 years and 94 days, Djokovic is also the fourth-oldest men’s player after Pancho Gonzalez (40), Ken Rosewall (39), and Jimmy Connors (39) to reach the quarter-final of the US Open.
Connors’ run came at the 1991 US Open when Djokovic was four years old at the time, but watched the footage when he was older.
“I remember that [Connors 1991] run. I was very, very young, so I don’t vividly remember it when it was happening,” he explained. “But in the years to come, when I was growing up watching a lot of tennis, everyone was talking about that run being one of the most historic runs we had in the sport at any Slam.
“Jimmy Connors being one of the greatest tennis players of all time, a great legend in general overall globally, but particularly in this tournament. He’s won it five times? He’s fired up the New York crowd like no other player has done in his career.
“Just being in the same discussion or same conversation with Jimmy is obviously a huge honour of mine.”
He will now look to reach a record-extending 53 Grand Slam semi-final when he faces fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final.
Djokovic has a dominant 10-0 record against the American, with their most recent meeting coming in the semi-final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters, with the tennis great winning in straight sets.
Djokovic has made it clear in recent years that he is no longer chasing rankings records, but he will be rewarded with a two-place climb in the rankings after reaching the quarter-final of the season-ending Grand Slam.
He will return to No. 5 with Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Fritz ahead of him.
The former world No. 1 will move ahead of Fritz if he reaches the semi-final, while a title run will see him return to No. 3 in the ATP Rankings.
