Novak Djokovic’s win at Wimbledon a few weeks back has moved him on to 20 Grand Slam titles in an incredible career. He is the only one of the other two superstars with 20 Slam titles, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, to have won all four Grand Slam titles at least twice. However, Djokovic could be set to make history this year as he has a chance of becoming the first male player, and only the third in history to win all four Grand Slam events in a single year. The last time that this historic feat was achieved was by Rod Laver back in 1969. The Australian legend also completed the Grand Slam back in 1962, while Don Budge was the only other male player to achieve the feat back in 1937. In the women’s game, three players have landed a Grand Slam of titles in the same year. Maureen Connolly Brinker in 1953, Margaret Court in 1970 and the most recent Grand Slam champion was German legend Steffi Graf who landed all four Slam events in the women’s game in 1988 and she also landed the Gold Medal in Seoul 1988, for the only “Golden Slam” in tennis history. However, no male player has done what Djokovic could potentially do this season. That stands testament to just how incredible a season that the Serbian superstar is having. If he can achieve this remarkable feat, then there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Djokovic should go down as the greatest male tennis player in history. You can back Djokovic to win both the Olympic Gold Medal (where he is a current 4/9 favourite) and the US Open title (at 4/5) with bet365 Sport. Remember too that you can get all the latest betting on tennis tournaments and across a wide choice of other sports events, including plenty of great Olympics coverage, at BetRivers Sportsbook which is available in multiple states across the U.S. So how has Djokovic managed to achieve the feat and what are the chances that he will complete an incredibly rare Golden Slam this year? Let’s take a look at his season so far to find out.

Djokovic’s Incredible 2021 Season

At age 34, you would think that Novak Djokovic may be starting to show signs of his age. However, the Belgrade-born male tennis number 1 has enjoyed arguably the most impressive season of his career so far throughout 2021. Djokovic has held all four Majors at once before, when beating Andy Murray in the French Open in 2016, he completed the media dubbed “Nole Slam”  and only the third player in history to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time, although they were won over the course of two seasons. By 2017, Djokovic’s chances of more success seemed slight due to a horrific elbow injury that saw him miss almost half the season and after splitting earlier in the year with his long-term coaching team after a number of below par results. However since he returned from another surgery, again on his elbow, he started to get back to his best form, culminating in a win at Wimbledon in June. He picked up more Slam titles in 2019 and 2020 but few expected what would happen in 2021. He began January with a superb performance at the Australian Open by defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the final. In May, Djokovic arguably put together his best ever French Open performance as he beat the nine-time champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, and then came from two sets down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in five sets in the final. A month later, it was time for Wimbledon, a tournament that he had won on the previous two occasions the tournament had been held, and Djokovic proved his quality yet again by landing his sixth Wimbledon victory beating Matteo Berrettini in the final. He is the first male player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the first three Slam events of the calendar year (Laver did indeed go on to claim the fourth for his second career Grand Slam). However before Djokovic could turn his focus to the US Open, he had the small matter of the Olympic Games.

Olympic Challenge

Andy Murray had won the Gold Medal at the last two Olympic Games in London and Rio, but with the Scot withdrawing from the singles event due to injury, Djokovic has won his three opening games in straight sets, defeating H.Dellien from Bolivia 6-2, 6-2, J.L.Struff of Germany 6-4, 6-3 and A.Davidovich Fokina of Spain 6-3, 6-1. He now faces home favourite Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinal. Three more victories in the tournament would secure him his first ever Olympic Gold, adding to the bronze medal that he already holds. He could face fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the semifinals if he beats Nishikori and a potential final against Daniil Medvedev, the player he beat in the Australian Open at the start of the year could potentially decide who gets the gold medal.

What Are Djokovic’s Chances At The US Open?

As you can see from the betting odds, Djokovic is ranked as an odds on favourite with bet365 Sport for the US Open title. Djokovic’s return to form has also coincided with a drop off in form from his three biggest rivals, Nadal and Federer, for whom age and fitness issues are now becoming more an issue, and Andy Murray has had a number of injury worries over the last year or two. With no players coming through that have the potential to match the quality of the three superstars, Djokovic has been able to mop up the top Grand Slam events this season and few would put it past him to pick up Olympic Gold before heading over to the US Open in September. And at the US Open, on the hard court where he has dominated in recent times, few would put it past him following Steffi Graf ino the history books as the only Golden Slam champion in history. Furthermore, it would be an honour, richly deserved.

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