Novak Djokovic goes 'full on villain mode' as Serb makes big change for US Open

The last time Novak Djokovic went two full years without a Grand Slam title was back in 2009 and 2010, when the tennis ace was at the beginning of his illustrious career. Djokovic had just one Slam title to his name then, but the Serb now boasts a record 24, with No.25 still in his sights.

It's been a frustrating couple of years for Djokovic on the Slam scene, not least this year alone, given he's made the semi-final at all three of the major championships so far. Part of the problem has been contending with the emergence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, with the formidable duo having won every Slam since Djokovic triumphed at the 2023 US Open.

And ahead of his return to the Big Apple later this month, Djokovic fans have suggested the 38-year-old is deploying a new tactic to try and get into his opponents' head a little bit more. That's because Djokovic is set to wear a menacing all-black outfit for the US Open, with some claiming he's gone "full villain mode" as a result.

Commenting on Reddit, Downtown_Bit_9339 said: "Full on villain mode, I like it!"

That-Firefighter1245 replied: "First we had Darth Federer. Then we saw Darth Nadal. And now we have Darth Djokovic," a reference to the character from Star Wars.

FMKK1 added: "The all black look is great. Everyone should do it for US Open night matches like they do all white for Wimbledon."

The reason for the switch isn't yet known, but it's a change-up from his usual US Open getups in the past. Djokovic has predominantly worn blue and white at Flushing Meadows, with his last dabble with black having come in 2010.

However, it could be a nod to fellow greats of the game, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have both donned all-black outfits en route to US Open wins in the past. If Djokovic can follow in their footsteps, not only would he secure a fifth US Open win, but also become the first-ever player to reach 25 Grand Slam singles titles.

However, his preparations for the event haven't gone to plan, given Djokovic was forced to pull out of the upcoming Cincinnati Open. It's the last warm-up tournament before the US Open, meaning Djokovic will head into the year's final Slam without any competitive hard-court matches under his belt since Wimbledon.