Categories: Trending now

Novak Djokovic reaches US Open third round after opponent stops in 3rd set due to injury

2024-08-29 15:30:02

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. Open match that Novak Djokovic already expected to be difficult was threatening to become a toss-up as he struggled with his serve.

Missing more than he made, Djokovic couldn’t get many quick points Wednesday night. He acknowledged that he should have lost the second set, and if his opponent didn’t get injured and have to stop, maybe he wouldn’t even have won that match.

Once he had, the defending champion was only looking ahead.

“The matches are only going to get tougher from here. I know that, but I’m fine,” Djokovic said. “I’ll find my way, as I have done many times in my career.”

Djokovic reached the third round when Laslo Djere had to retire with the No. 2 seed leading his Serbian countryman 6-4, 6-4, 2-0.

Djere was leading 4-2 in the second set when he appeared to be troubled by pain near his hip and was visited by a trainer later in the set. He finished that set, which lasted 69 minutes after the first one went 60, but didn’t last much longer.

“In the end, not the kind of finish that we players or crowd wants to see, but I think it’s probably due to that physical battle that we had in the opening two sets,” Djokovic said.

It was the 90th win at the U.S. Open for Djokovic, making him the first man to reach that total at all four Grand Slams. The 24-time major champion will play No. 28 seed Alexei Popyrin on Friday.

Djere was the only player to win a set against Djokovic at last year’s U.S. Open, grabbing the first two in their third-round encounter before Djokovic rallied.

“So I knew coming into the match that if I don’t serve well, which was the case, I’m going to have to really grind and work for my points a lot,” Djokovic said. “That’s what I guess caused the two sets to be played over two hours.”

Djokovic made only 47% of his first serves and appeared to be struggling physically himself earlier in the match, which was just his second since winning the gold medal in the Olympics.

Djere had two chances to break Djokovic’s serve for would have given him a 5-2 lead in the second set. Instead, he wouldn’t win another game, with Djokovic breaking to win the set when Djere yanked a forehand out of bounds.

“All in all, of course, I have to be happy with the win,” Djokovic said, “and happy that in important moments I managed to play one ball more than him over the net, I guess find the right shots or anticipate well as I did in the set point in the second set.”

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

AD
News Today

Recent Posts

Kareena Kapoor’s Next Untitled Film With Meghna Gulzar Gets Prithviraj Sukumaran On Board

Kareena Kapoor is working with Raazi director Meghna Gulzar for her next film. The project,…

17 hours ago

Purdue basketball freshman Daniel Jacobsen injured vs Northern Kentucky

2024-11-09 15:00:03 WEST LAFAYETTE -- Daniel Jacobsen's second game in Purdue basketball's starting lineup lasted…

17 hours ago

Rashida Jones honors dad Quincy Jones with heartfelt tribute: ‘He was love’

2024-11-09 14:50:03 Rashida Jones is remembering her late father, famed music producer Quincy Jones, in…

17 hours ago

Nosferatu Screening at Apollo Theatre Shows Student Interest in Experimental Cinema – The Oberlin Review

2024-11-09 14:40:03 A silent German expressionist film about vampires accompanied by Radiohead’s music — what…

17 hours ago

What Are Adaptogens? Find Out How These 3 Herbs May Help You Tackle Stress Head-On

Let's face it - life can be downright stressful! With everything moving at breakneck speed,…

17 hours ago

The new Mac Mini takes a small step towards upgradeable storage

Apple’s redesigned Mac Mini M4 has ditched the previous M2 machine’s SSD that was soldered…

17 hours ago