US Open, Novak Djokovic drops a set but goes to the third round

Novak Djokovic, former world No. 1 and currently No. 7, made it past the second round of the U.S. Open, a tournament he has won four times and the last Slam he won in 2023. The Serb beat U.S. number 145 Zachary Svajda today with a score of 6-7 6-3 6-1 in 2 hours and 31 minutes of play.

First set without a break but both nullified two consecutive break points then recovered from 15-40, Svajda in the first game of the match and Djokovic in the sixth. Nole then dispels the supposed reputation of him being infallible in the tie-break losing it 7-5.

Only one break in the second set and it was suffered by Svajda at 3-2 for Djokovic, who at 5-2 had two set points on the home favourite’s serve but then closed on his third chance in the next game. The third set is slightly more eventful: Svajda goes ahead 3-1 but from then on Djokovic takes over the reins of the match winning 11 out of 12 games: in the third set he won five in a row with three breaks.

In the fourth set Nole extended his string of consecutive games won to eight, finally surrendering one at 3-0 but then on 4-1 he placed another break that closed the match for good. In the third round the 38-year-old Serb will face the winner between Britain’s Cameron Norrie and Argentina’s Francisco Comesaña.