US Open Tennis 2011: Where Does Novak Djokovic Go From Here?

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in four sets to capture the 2011 US Open title. It was his first US Open title and third Grand Slam title of the year.

The 24-year-old Serb improves his record to 64-2 for 2011. He has only lost a single full match, as one of his losses stemmed from a shoulder injury that forced him to retire.

We've witnessed outstanding performances from tennis players in the past, but this year has been one of the finest displays by a single player in tennis history.

So where does Djokovic go from here?

There are still several tournaments left for 2011. The Shanghai Masters take place in a little under a month from now, and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals closes out the year in November.

Looking ahead at 2012 and beyond, how many more Grand Slams is Djokovic capable of winning? 

After winning his first at the Australian Open in 2008, Djokovic did not perform like people expected him to in the following years. He failed to reach another Grand Slam final until last year's US Open. 

This seemed to be the turning point in his career. He has looked remarkable ever since. The only Slam he failed to win this year was the French Open, which remains the only major he has yet to win.

Another feat in 2011, Djokovic became the first player ever to defeat Nadal twice on clay in the same year. So for those of you that think he isn't much for clay courts, you might want to think again.

Roger Federer defeated Djokovic at Roland Garros in four sets, but Djokovic lost two tiebreaks 5-7, so it wasn't an easy win for Federer.

The Djoker only seems to be getting better. There's no reason to believe he is unable to win at the French Open in 2012. But how many more majors is he going to capture?

With four total now, Djokovic is appears to be in his prime. I say appears because who knows? He could win all four Grand Slams next year. He is only a year younger than Nadal, so he has some catching up to do if he wants to match him in the record books.

But Nadal has yet to figure out a way to beat Djokovic. He's lost to the new No. 1 six times this year. Nadal still leads their all-time series 16-13, but he won't be ahead for long is Djokovic keeps beating him like this year.

As for predictions, I think Djokovic will win the Australian Open in 2012, barring any unforeseen injury. He's won there twice in his career, and this year he only dropped a single set throughout the entire tournament. 

He could very well go on to win every Grand Slam in 2012. At this rate, it doesn't look like anyone will stop him. Federer had him on the ropes in the semifinals at the US Open, but Djokovic made a miraculous comeback and won in five sets. 

He has been ranked No. 1 in the world since July. Don't expect that to change anytime soon.