Djokovic Through At Us Open Despite 'not Feeling Great'

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

Novak Djokovic admitted he "did not consciousness that great" astir his tennis astatine times arsenic he fought backmost from a group down to hit American qualifier Zachary Svajda and scope nan US Open 3rd round.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared subdued successful nan early stages of nan lucifer but yet powered done to a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 6-1 win.

A 25th awesome trophy would unafraid nan Serb nan standalone grounds for nan astir Grand Slam singles titles successful history.

He has already group different grounds successful New York successful reaching nan 3rd information astatine a awesome for nan 75th clip - 1 much than Roger Federer's tally.

"I didn't consciousness that awesome to beryllium honest," Djokovic, 38, said.

"I wasn't happy pinch my tennis for nan first portion of nan match, but besides in installments to Zach for playing immoderate really high-quality tennis."

Prior to his first-round victory, Djokovic had not played since losing successful nan Wimbledon semi-finals to Jannik Sinner successful early July.

"I'm hoping nan deeper I spell into nan tourney nan amended I consciousness astir my game," Djokovic said.

"It's evidently a small different successful nan past mates of years for maine body-wise.

"I get deterioration and tear quicker than I ever utilized to truthful I person to woody pinch that, a batch of betterment worldly to effort to make myself capable to execute astatine nan highest level."

Playing successful nan greeting convention connected Arthur Ashe Stadium - an unfamiliar timeslot for a subordinate accustomed to headlining nan tournament's coveted nighttime convention - Djokovic seemed out-of-sorts successful nan agleam sunshine.

The seventh seed had looked fatigued successful his first-round lucifer and seemed hampered by akin issues early connected against location dream Svajda.

The world number 145 went viral earlier nan lucifer aft posting a video of his excitement astir playing Djokovic but he showed nary signs of being overawed, holding his nervus to separator nan first set.

But Djokovic, arsenic he truthful often does, instantly responded, and reeled disconnected 11 of nan last 12 games arsenic Svajda struggled pinch cramp.

Earlier, 21st seed Tomas Machac saw disconnected rising Brazilian prima Joao Fonseca successful 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-3.

The 19-year-old Fonseca, backed by a boisterous instrumentality guidelines connected nan Grandstand court, had a group constituent successful nan opener but Machac held patient to prevail.

His Czech compatriot and 20th seed Jiri Lehecka besides progressed pinch a 3-6 6-0 6-2 6-4 triumph complete Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry.