Tag: Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic fears his lack of physical conditioning may come back to haunt him as he chases a record 25th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.

The 38-year-old Serbian superstar made a winning start to his latest tilt at glory on Sunday, defeating US teenager Learner Tien 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 in 2hr 25min on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

But Djokovic, who needed a lengthy medical timeout to treat a blister on his right foot between the second and third sets, admitted afterwards he was worried by a sudden loss of stamina during the second set.

“I started great, just over 20 minutes, first set, I felt really good,” Djokovic said. “Then some long games to start the second set… I really was surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically.”

“We had long exchanges, but also, I kind of dropped my level and made a lot of unforced errors and kind of got him back into the match.

“There are positives, but also things that hopefully won’t happen in terms of how I felt on the court physically in the second set.

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“It’s slightly a concern. I don’t know. I don’t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points.”

Novak Djokovic has not played since his defeat in the semi-finals at Wimbledon last month, skipping ATP Masters events in Toronto and Cincinnati to focus all his energy on the US Open.

While there were a few signs of rustiness at times on Sunday, Djokovic also laced his performance with flashes of the brilliance that has been his calling card throughout a glittering career.

Djokovic looked to be a man in a hurry in a scorching start, rattling off winners to take the first set 6-1.

Tien was given hope in a laboured second set from Djokovic, but the 19-year-old American could not convert a break point that would have made it one set all.

Instead, Djokovic held serve to make it 5-5 in the second set and reasserted himself to claim the second-set tie break, attacking the net cleverly and using some sublime variation to pull Tien all over the court.

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Djokovic paused for a medical timeout for treatment to his right foot before the third set got underway. The rest appeared to give Djokovic a jolt of energy, and he sprinted into a 5-1 lead to leave Tien reeling.

Tien did well to save a match point on Djokovic’s serve before breaking for 5-2.

But the respite was short-lived as Djokovic again responded emphatically, breaking back immediately to wrap up victory.

“I wish I had Learner Tien’s age — when you come to the late 30s, it’s about learning how to preserve the energy for what matters,” Djokovic said.

“I still have the flair, I still have the drive, and you guys give me the energy. Hopefully, I can keep it going,” he told the crowd.

Novak Djokovic will face US qualifier Zachary Svajda in the second round.

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Aryna Sabalenka launched the defence of her US Open crown with victory Sunday while Novak Djokovic made a successful start to his latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.

World number one Sabalenka, bidding to become the first woman to claim back-to-back US Open titles since Serena Williams completed a hat-trick of wins in 2014, was made to work hard en route to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova.

Masarova, ranked 108th in the world, pushed Sabalenka out of her comfort zone with a gutsy performance on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium showcourt at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“Happy to get this win and happy to be in the second round. I feel like I didn’t start my best in the first games, but then I found my rhythm,” said Sabalenka, who will face unseeded Russian Polina Kudermetova.

While Sabalenka advanced safely, Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson tumbled out to Alexandra Eala.

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Eala, 20, became the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13/11) win, battling back from a 5-1 deficit in the final set.

Another player from Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, also bagged an upset, ousting Russian 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

“I feel proud to be able to do this for my country,” said Tjen, the first Indonesian since Angelique Widjaja in 2004 to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam singles event.

Tjen, ranked 149th in the world, will face Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the second round.

Raducanu, who made history at Flushing Meadows in 2021 by becoming the first qualifier to lift a Grand Slam title, clinched her first US Open match win since that memorable triumph with a 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

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With men’s defending champion Jannik Sinner and rival Carlos Alcaraz not opening their campaigns until Monday and Tuesday, all eyes were on the veteran Serbian star Novak Djokovic in Sunday night’s session on Ashe.

The 38-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win against his unseeded 19-year-old American opponent Learner Tien.

Djokovic raced through the first set but was then forced to save a set point in the second after Tien grew in confidence.

A lengthy medical timeout to treat what looked like a blister on his right foot helped revive Djokovic, and he pulled away to wrap up victory in 2 hours and 25 minutes.

“I still have the flair, I still have the drive, and you guys give me the energy,” Novak Djokovic told the crowd. “Hopefully I can keep it going.”

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Former tennis world number one Novak Djokovic says the expansion of most ATP Masters 1000 events to 12 days makes them “just way too long for me” as he focuses on his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title.

“To be quite frank with you, I don’t enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore,” Djokovic said Friday as he spoke to reporters before the Sunday start of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of 2025.

“It’s just way too long for me. My primary focus is on the Slams, and I have mentioned that before.

“But I also like other tournaments. I’d like to play more of the other tournaments, but we currently have 12 Grand Slams a year, informally and unofficially, when you think about it.

“Grand Slam is two weeks, and the other Masters events are almost two weeks, as well.”

At 38, the former world number one says his priorities have changed in the latter stages of his career.

“I’m not chasing the rankings or building up my points or defending, et cetera,” Djokovic said. “I just don’t think about it anymore.

“For me, it’s really about where do I find motivation and joy? Where will I be inspired to play the best tennis? And where do I care to be, really, and play?”

With family now at the forefront of his life, Djokovic said, he is less willing to miss out on major personal milestones.

He noted that his daughter’s birthday falls on September 2, when he could find himself playing in the US Open quarter-finals.

“But those are types of things that I really don’t want to be missing anymore,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic, a long-time advocate for player input in matters such as scheduling and player compensation, said he does not see how the Masters 1000s could revert to the previous format.

Canada and Cincinnati in the run-up to the US Open became 12-day events this year.

“In the end of the day, when the players needed to be active and when there was a time of negotiations and decision-making, players weren’t participating enough,” he said.

Djokovic himself has not played since a comprehensive semi-final loss to the current world number one, Jannik Sinner, at Wimbledon in July.

He acknowledged that he is coming in “cold” in terms of match play, but said he had been training hard as he eyes a return to the later stages of the US Open.

A four-time winner in Flushing Meadows, Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2017 when he lost to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round of last year’s tournament.

But this week, Novak Djokovic has taken some time to explore New York as well, notably throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Yankees baseball game.

“It was a great experience,” said Djokovic, adding that he met Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

He also thought he acquitted himself well with his pitch.

“I didn’t throw that accurate, but it still wasn’t as embarrassing I think as some of the other guys I saw in the past.”

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Novak Djokovic hopes a selective approach to his scheduling will give him the best chance to win the US Open in his unrelenting pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam.

The 38-year-old Djokovic has not played since a comprehensive semi-final defeat by Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon last month, skipping the two main US Open warm-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati.

He briefly returned to court on Tuesday for the revamped mixed doubles in New York, but lasted just 43 minutes as he and partner Olga Danilovic crashed out in the first round.

A four-time US Open champion, Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2017 when he lost to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round of last year’s tournament.

He won his 100th ATP title in Geneva this May on the eve of the French Open but found his path blocked by Sinner at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Djokovic has reached the final just once at the last seven majors since equalling Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles at the 2023 US Open.

Sinner (four) and Carlos Alcaraz (three) have combined to sweep every ensuing Grand Slam, leaving Djokovic on the outside looking in and with time working against him in his bid for history.

“I think, regardless of the fact that I haven’t won a Grand Slam this year, or last year, I still feel like I continue to play my best tennis at Grand Slams,” Djokovic said after his Wimbledon loss.

“Those are the tournaments that I care about at this stage of my career the most.”

But he has twice been compromised by injury this year in a Grand Slam semi-final.

A hamstring tear forced him to retire against Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open before a hip and thigh issue hampered him in London.

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“It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest,” said Novak Djokovic.

“It’s tough for me to accept that because I feel like when I’m fresh, when I’m fit, I can still play really good tennis. I’ve proven that this year.

“But I guess playing best-of-five, particularly this year, has been a real struggle for me physically. The longer the tournament goes, the worse the condition gets. I reached the final stages; I reached the semis of every Slam this year, but I have to play Sinner or Alcaraz.

“These guys are fit, young, sharp. I feel like I’m going into the match with the tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that.”

But unlike Sinner and Alcaraz, who toiled through the heat and humidity in Cincinnati before the Italian retired from their clash in the final on Monday with illness, Djokovic took time off to recharge.

That means it will be almost five months since his last hard-court match — a straight-sets loss to Jakub Mensik in the Miami final — when he launches his 19th US Open campaign.

Only time will tell whether the gamble pays off at a tournament Djokovic also won in 2011, 2015, and 2018.

He is a six-time runner-up here as well, with his shot at a rare calendar Grand Slam four years ago dashed by Daniil Medvedev.

“I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career,” Novak Djokovic said earlier this year. “You know, I’m going to keep on keeping on.”

There is every chance, though, that he will have to get past both Sinner and Alcaraz to land another title.

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TORONTO: British top seed Jack Draper, Wimbledon winner Jannik Sinner, and veteran Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from the forthcoming Masters 1000 tournaments set to begin in a week’s time.

The ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, also known as ATP Tour Masters 1000, are a series of nine top-level professional tennis tournaments on the ATP Tour.

These tournaments are held annually and feature the top-ranked male tennis players. Each tournament winner receives 1,000 ranking points, hence the name “Masters 1000”.

Jack Draper has withdrawn from the Masters 1000 tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati due to an arm injury. The 23-year-old focuses on getting fit for next month’s US Open.

Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have also pulled out of the Canadian Open, which starts on July 27.

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Jannik Sinner outplayed defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the final on 13 July to win his first Wimbledon men’s title.

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic cited his groin injury for his withdrawal from the tournament, which he has won four times.

The Cincinnati Open begins on August 7 and wraps up on August 18, six days before the start of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.

Both tournaments are Masters 1000 events, the level below the four majors.

World number five Draper, who was knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon by Marin Cilic, said his injury was not serious and he would be fit for the US Open in New York.

“After Wimbledon, I picked up an injury in my left arm, nothing serious, but I have to make sure it recovers fully for the rest of the season,” he said on X.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete in Toronto and Cincinnati… See you in NYC!”

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LONDON: Jannik Sinner outplayed Novak Djokovic in straight sets to reach his first Wimbledon final clash against arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz here on Friday.

Top seed Sinner will now face Carlos Alcaraz in his maiden final after defeating seven-time champion Djokovic in the final with three straight (6-3, 6-3, 6-4) sets.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is seeking his third straight Wimbledon singles title in the grand finale this Sunday. Earlier, he won a hard-fought first semi-final against Taylor Fritz.

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Jannik Sinner demonstrated his dominance after clinching the opening set as the 38-year-old Serbian star looked clueless.

Novak Djokovic was in a bid to reach his seventh successive Wimbledon final; however, the Italian shattered his hopes after dropping only six points on serve.

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In the third set of the match, Djokovic briefly turned the tide with 3-0, but Jannik Sinner dashed any hopes of the Serbian star’s comeback.

Following the match, Jannik Sinner expressed his thoughts on reaching his maiden Wimbledon final

“From my side, I served very well today, I felt great on court, I was moving really well today. We saw in the third set that he was a bit injured. He’s been in a very difficult situation, but I tried to stay calm, to play the best tennis I can,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic survived a scare to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a tense four-set victory over Alex de Minaur on Monday, staying on course for a blockbuster clash with world number one Jannik Sinner.

Seven-time champion Djokovic endured a nightmare start to his last-16 match against the Australian 11th seed on Centre Court but eventually battled back to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Fresh from his 100th win at Wimbledon on Saturday — making him the third player to achieve that feat after Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer — Novak Djokovic reached his 16th quarter-final at the tournament.

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Aged 38, Djokovic is aiming to win a record 25th major title, breaking a tie with the long-retired Margaret Court, and a record-equalling eighth men’s crown at the All England Club.

That would make him the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open era.

“It wasn’t a great start for me, it was a great start for Alex de Minaur obviously. I kind of reset myself in the second set,” Novak Djokovic said.

“I was very pleased to hang in tough in the right moments and win this one.”

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Sixth-seeded Djokovic’s 101st victory at Wimbledon came under the gaze of Federer, who was sitting in the front row of the royal box alongside his wife Mirka.

“It’s probably the first time he’s watching me and I’ve won the match,” said Djokovic. “The last couple I lost, so good to break the curse.

“No, it’s great, obviously, great to have Roger, a huge champion and someone that I admired and respected a lot.

“We shared the stage for so many years, and it’s great to have him back.”

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Novak Djokovic stepped up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title as he moved into the Wimbledon third round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 rout of British wildcard Dan Evans on Thursday.

Djokovic needed just one hour and 47 minutes to dispatch Evans with a ruthless display in the second round on Centre Court.

The sixth seed struggled with stomach issues in his four-set win against Alexandre Muller, praising the “miracle pills” he took during the first round for his strong recovery.

There were no lingering effects for the seven-time Wimbledon champion as he overwhelmed Dan Evans with 46 winners.

“It means I’ve been playing quite a long time!” Djokovic said when told he had just secured his 99th Wimbledon match victory.

“I still enjoy it. This court has given me so much. Wimbledon has a special place in my heart. Any history made here is obviously extra special.”

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Novak Djokovic is dreaming of putting an exclamation point on his incredible career by becoming the most successful singles player in tennis history.

The 38-year-old has been tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning his most recent major prize at the 2023 US Open.

And despite losing the last two Wimbledon finals against Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic believes the lawns of south-west London provide his best chance to win that elusive 25th major.

“I’m aware of the history on the line. I’m thinking about the big things I can do in this tournament,” he said.

“I don’t reflect on it for now. I think that will come when I sip a margarita on the beach with (Roger) Federer and (Rafael) Nadal!”

After losing to top seed Jannik Sinner in the recent French Open semi-finals, Djokovic is in the unusual position of no longer being regarded as the Wimbledon title favourite, having failed to make the championship match in his previous three Grand Slam appearances.

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Djokovic, who won his 100th tour-level title in May in Geneva, has been dogged by questions about when he will retire since fulfilling his long-held desire for Olympic singles gold in Paris last year.

But he would draw level on a record eight men’s Wimbledon singles titles with Federer if he wins the grass-court event for the first time since 2022, and on this evidence, he is in the mood to make history at his favourite tournament.

Dan Evans, 35, had won his only previous meeting with Djokovic on clay in Monte Carlo four years ago, and the Serb claimed he was the kind of tricky opponent he would have preferred to avoid.

But Djokovic had never lost a Grand Slam match to a player ranked as low as world number 154, Evans, and he wasn’t about to make unwanted history.

“I knew it would be a special atmosphere on Centre Court. A Brit in Britain is always hard to face,” Djokovic said.

“Technically and tactically, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I executed perfectly. Sometimes you have these kinds of days when everything goes your way.”

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Novak Djokovic thanked “doctors’ miracle pills” after he overcame feelings of discomfort and the loss of a set to launch his mission to win a record 25th Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

The veteran Serb, a seven-time winner at the All England Club, beat French world number 41 Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 6-2, 6-2 in a late-night match on Centre Court.

Djokovic dominated the first set, breaking three times, but Muller levelled the match after taking the second set tie-break.

The sixth seed resumed normal service in the third set, and a couple of breaks in the fourth set sealed the deal.

“I enjoyed myself, obviously a bit less in the second set, but I went from feeling my absolute best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes,” he said.

“Whether it was a stomach bug, I don’t know what it is. I struggled with that, but the energy came back after some doctors’ miracle pills, and I managed to finish the match on a good note.”

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Novak Djokovic said he was delighted to be back at Wimbledon.

“I have to acknowledge the sacredness of this court, of this tournament,” he said.

“It has always meant a lot to me and many other players. It’s a childhood dream tournament, so I never take anything out on the court for granted.”

Djokovic has been tied with long-retired Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam singles titles since 2023, and he believes his most realistic hope of a historic 25th win lies at the All England Club.

The 38-year-old, who has lost the past two Wimbledon finals to Carlos Alcaraz, has the added incentive of pulling level with the retired Roger Federer, who won a record eight men’s titles at the All England Club.

Djokovic has been in every Wimbledon final since 2018 but knows time is running out as Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner establish a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game.

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Novak Djokovic said beating Alexander Zverev on Wednesday was a “testament” to his ability to compete at the highest level as the 38-year-old reached the French Open semi-finals to inch closer to a record 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic fought past third seed Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in a gruelling night session duel, which captivated Court Philippe Chatrier over three-and-a-quarter hours.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner moves on to face world number one Jannik Sinner in the last four, after the Italian earlier raced past the unseeded Alexander Bublik in straight sets.

“Jannik is in tremendous form, and he has been the best player for the last couple of years,” said Djokovic.

“It’s going to be, of course, semi-finals of a Grand Slam against the No. 1 in the world. There is no bigger occasion for me, so I’ll try to do my best to step it up and perform as well as I did tonight.

“I just hope that I will be able to physically keep up, you know, with Sinner in a few days’ time. It’s a big challenge for me.”

On centre court, last year’s runner-up Zverev roared out of the blocks with an immediate break of serve as he clinched the opener against Djokovic.

It was the first time former world number one Djokovic has dropped a set at the French Open this year.

Novak Djokovic engineered himself a 3-1 lead in the second set after Zverev pushed a backhand long when serving at 30-40.

The three-time Roland Garros champion then held firm through the rest of the frame to level the match as he started to punish the 1.98 m Zverev with drop shots.

The Serb sniffed out a break opportunity in game five of the third set and snaffled it, before again breaking the German as he took control of the encounter.

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Now on a high, Novak Djokovic started the fourth by again pouncing on his opponent’s usually reliable serve.

He brought Chatrier to its feet when he whipped a cross-court forehand past Zverev to save a break point in the sixth game at the end of an exchange that the 28-year-old looked certain to win on at least three occasions.

Alexander Zverev appeared a defeated man when he eventually passed up that chance at a vital break-back with a netted forehand.

Djokovic marched on and sealed his 101st win at the French Open, raising his arms aloft in triumph after finally converting match point at the fifth time of asking.

“It was an amazing match,” summarised Djokovic.

“Obviously beating one of the best players in the world on the biggest stages is something that I definitely work for, and I still, you know, push myself on a daily basis at this age because of these kinds of matches and these kinds of experiences.

“It’s a proven kind of testament to myself that I can and to others that I can still play on the highest level.”

A poor run of form earlier in the season and his advancing years had some questioning whether Djokovic could still match his younger rivals.

But he had a response for his doubters: “I think the win against (Carlos) Alcaraz in quarters of the Australian Open (2025), to win quarters against Zverev tonight proves to myself and others that I can still play on the highest level, and I just thrive on these occasions.”

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