Novak Djokovic overcame a tough start to defeat American qualifier Zachary Svajda in four sets on Wednesday, advancing to the US Open third round for a record-equalling 19th time.
The 38-year-old Serbian dropped the opening set but rallied to claim a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 victory, keeping alive his pursuit of an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title.
“I wasn’t really happy about my tennis for the first part of the match, but also credit to Zach for playing some high-quality tennis,” Djokovic admitted after the match.
Though he described feeling “not that great” following the labored performance, Djokovic expressed confidence that he would improve as the tournament progressed.
“That’s what I’m hoping, the deeper I go into the tournament, the better I feel about my game,” he said, acknowledging the physical challenges of competing at 38.
Svajda, ranked 145th in the world, stunned Djokovic early by taking the first set in a tense tie-break, but the seventh seed soon found his rhythm. After breaking serve for a 4-2 lead in the second set, Djokovic steadily asserted control, eventually winning 11 of the final 12 games as his young opponent faded physically and required treatment to both legs.
The victory not only saw Djokovic equal the record for the most US Open third-round appearances but also gave him his 191st Grand Slam hard-court win, another milestone in his illustrious career. He also set a new record by reaching the last 32 of a major for the 75th time, surpassing Roger Federer.
Djokovic will face either Britain’s Cam Norrie or Argentina’s Francisco Comesana in the next round.
What you should know
Novak Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion, is chasing a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title.
His win over Zachary Svajda highlighted both his resilience and his ability to set new records, even at 38.
