Rod Laver backs Novak Djokovic to achieve calendar Grand Slam: 'I would be thrilled'

• Tennis News
• Novak Djokovic

Don Budge and Rod Laver are the only players with a calendar Grand Slam on their tallies. Budge achieved that in 1938, and Laver repeated the feat in 1962 and again in 1969, the first complete season of the Open era. In the past 50 years, many great players have tried to add their names to that impressive list, and they have all failed, unable to keep the form and beat their opponents at least at the opening three Majors.

Novak Djokovic is ready to change that at the US Open, becoming the first player with three Major titles at the beginning of the season since Laver and seeking an ultimate record in New York.

Novak Djokovic will try to achieve a calendar Grand Slam in New York.

The Serb claimed the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon within five months to catch Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Major crowns, hoping to pass great rivals at the US Open and pretty much seal the GOAT race.

Laver would love to see Djokovic achieve the most challenging tennis task and join him and Budge in that exclusive group. Djokovic will try to beat the pressure and seven opponents en route to the US Open crown and glory, with the young guns standing as the main obstacles in one of his most important tournaments in a career.

Novak opens the campaign against the young Dane Holger Rune, and should meet Matteo Berrettini, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in the remaining encounters. "I would be thrilled to shake Novak's hand if he can win all four Majors.

I would be happy for him to be a part of - whether it's a 'club' or not, I do not know. It's tough to put them all together. I never said I was going for a Grand Slam; that's pressure right there. Djokovic wants to talk about it, and so that could be a detriment if there is one.

He knows all the players, so there should not be any problem with that. I think the pressure is the one thing Djokovic may find himself having problems with. Maybe he's not feeling well, and there are lots of things that can go wrong.

It really does not worry me. When Don Budge won it in 1938, and I did it in 1962, Don said to me: 'We're in a special club here, there are only two of us in it," Rod Laver said.