Novak Djokovic continues breaking records,
reaching an incredible milestone in Grand Slams after defeating Laslo Djere
(No. 109) in the second round of the
US Open. The 37-year-old player advanced
after his opponent retired, with Djokovic leading 6-4, 6-4, 2-0.
The 24-time
Grand Slam champion played for more than two hours in the first two sets and
had to overcome a difficult moment in the second set when he came back from
2-4, 15-40 to finally take the set and set the stage for the match's
conclusion.
"He
(Djere) had an injury that took him off the tour for some time and he is
struggling to come back physically to his level. He’s such a good player,”
Novak Djokovic said about his opponent. “It should’ve been his second set
honestly. He was 4-2 up, I don’t know whether me winning the second set put
more burden on him mentally. Overall it was a big fight. Over two hours for two
sets.”
In the
third round, he will face the recent Canadian Open champion Alexei Popyrin (No.
28). The Australian has improved significantly during this hardcourt swing,
recently securing his first Masters 1000 title and seeking to reach the fourth
round of a Slam for the first time in his career.
The
incredible record of Djokovic
Djokovic
reached 90 wins at the US Open, becoming the first player to break the 90-win
mark at each of the four Grand Slams. The Serbian has an incredible 377-50
record (88.3%) considering the Australian Open (94-9), French Open (96-16),
Wimbledon (97-12), and now the US Open (90-13).
Additionally,
the 90 wins place him second in most victories at Flushing Meadows, surpassing
Roger Federer's 89, and trailing only
Jimmy Connors with 98 wins. The world No.
2 currently has four titles at Flushing Meadows and, if he wins the trophy this
year, he will tie with the top titleholders
Pete Sampras, Connors, and Federer,
all with five titles. So far, Djokovic has participated in the US Open 17 times
and reached the final on 10 occasions (record 4-6).
Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam title at 2023 US Open.
The Serbian
has the chance in this tournament to reach his 25th Grand Slam title and
definitively surpass Margaret Court. Additionally, it could be his 100th career
title.
Moreover,
Djokovic seems well on his way to surpassing the 100-win mark at all Grand
Slams. This year, if he wins the title, he could reach 95 wins at the US Open,
meaning that in 2025, he could break the 100-win mark at each Grand Slam.