If Novak Djokovic pulls off “The” Grand Slam Sunday by winning the U.S. Open title, 83-year-old Rod Laver is to be summoned from his Rolex Suite to the court for the championship ceremony.
Laver, the last man to sweep all four of the year’s majors 52 years ago, believes he will be needed, predicting the Grand Slam drought will end. The drama unfolds at 4 p.m. at Ashe Stadium when Djokovic faces No. 2 seed Daniil Medvedev.
“He can raise his sights and get that feeling,’’ Laver told The Post before Saturday’s women’s finals. “If he’s battling it, he’ll sit back and start off again. Medvedev is a great player. I think he’s certainly capable of winning a set, maybe more. He’s got a lot of groundstrokes. Medvedev is a tough player to beat, consistent, a little in the same way as Novak.
“But if there’s something for Novak to win, he’ll win,’’ the lefty Laver added.
Laver was told about the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who are the only NFL team to pull off a perfect season (17-0). The players make a toast when a current team on the doorstop of a perfect season loses. Laver won’t be popping champagne corks in his Open suite if Medvedev wins Sunday.
“Nooooo,’’ Laver said. “If [Djokovic] wins the Grand Slam, all the power to him and I’m very happy for him pulling it off. I’ll have to say, ‘Welcome to the club.’ ”
After winning the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, Laver capped his Grand Slam in Forest Hills in 1969 at the West Side Tennis Club when the U.S. Open was played on grass.
Laver, who lives in the San Diego area, has been in town since Thursday but has yet to talk to Djokovic. He knows a little luck is needed for a Grand Slam. In the recent era, Laver said Rafael Nadal’s French Open dominance (13 titles) has spoiled Grand Slam visions.
“It’s nice that he’s playing great tennis for whole year,’’ Laver said. “You start in Australia in January and come all the way to the U.S., and along way you got to make sure you don’t have injuries, colds, sickness. Nothing can take your thoughts away from you. You have to be fortunate not to even get a heavy cold. How do you play a five-set match with that?’’
Djokovic’s fan support has grown steadily across the fortnight but he’s never had the fan base of Roger Federer and Nadal. Djokovic’s game is more workmanlike than flashy and he seemingly hasn’t smiled on the court since his Flushing arrival.
“Roger and Rafa are certainly proven on and off the court,’’ Laver said. “They enjoy the sport and are part of it all. I don’t know if Djokovic is part of the crowd. He’s a little bit more standoffish as far as promoting himself. But his game is built that way. He doesn’t miss a ball. He’s fit as anyone out there.’’
Laver recalled the day he pulled it off in Forest Hills. He asked the tournament referee if he could wear spikes after losing the first set because the turf was slippery from a recent rain. It was the second time he had won all four majors in the same year, pulling it off in 1962. Don Budge is the only other male player to do so, in 1938.
Since the 1969 milestone, no men’s player has entered the U.S. Open with three in the bag. USTA officials likened this Grand Slam record to the rarity of baseball’s home-run record shattering.
It was 34 years between Babe Ruth’s 60-homer record being broken by Roger Maris (61) in 1961. It was another 37 years between Maris’ record being crushed by Mark McGwire (70) in 1998.
That Djokovic has gotten this far — three sets away — should never be diminished with an arsenal that isn’t easy to describe but has him one victory from his 21st major, which would top Federer and Nadal. The Federer/Nadal diehards certainly aren’t rooting for their guys to be surpassed.
Djokovic has hardly been perfect here — losing a set in five of his six victories.
“He has no specific shots — it’s his tenacity and able to compete under all the pressures,’’ Laver said. “ He’s improved his serve this year and he’s got a great backhand. He’s playing a net game a little more. That’s who he is now. He does all the right things. What separates him from all the others, he’s a perfect technician, has all the shots and now has all the physical abilities, too. When it all comes together he can pull of a Grand Slam.’’