Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the US Open on Wednesday as Laslo Djere retired in the third set. Djokovic was leading 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 when Djere, struggling with an abdominal issue, pulled out of the match. Both players had already called for the physio during a grueling encounter on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic, who won his 90th US Open match—making him the first man to win 90 matches at all four Grand Slams—admitted that his performance would need to improve if he is to win his fifth title in New York.
“It’s not what we want to see,” Djokovic said of Djere’s retirement. “He’s such a good player in these conditions, and the second set should have been his; he was 4-2 up.”
Djokovic also acknowledged his struggles with his serve, which forced him to rely more on his baseline game. “Overall it was a big fight – over two hours for two sets,” he said. “I served awful. So playing without the serve, you have to grind, you have to run.”
The Serbian star, fresh from his triumph at the Paris Olympics, will face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin next, whom he has beaten twice this year at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Women’s Defending Champion Coco Gauff Advances
Coco Gauff, the women’s defending champion, overcame serving struggles to defeat 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0. The 20-year-old American put only 44 percent of her first serves in play and committed nine double faults, but the 99th-ranked Maria couldn’t capitalize. Gauff managed to win the last seven games to seal her place in the third round.
“I think I played well overall,” Gauff said. “I think if I could have served better, that first set would have been a lot easier.”
Other Key Matches and Results
Aryna Sabalenka: The Australian Open champion and last year’s runner-up to Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, cruised past Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3, 6-1 in just an hour.
Alexander Zverev: The fourth-seeded German advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 victory over France’s Alexandre Muller. Zverev, battling hot and humid conditions, was relieved to finish the match in straight sets.
Tomas Etcheverry: Etcheverry defeated compatriot Francisco Cerundolo in a five-set battle, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. He admitted to feeling unwell after over-hydrating during the match.
Andrey Rublev and Jiri Lehecka: Both players overcame five-set battles to set up a third-round clash. Rublev defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, while Lehecka outlasted American Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (5/7), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
Zheng Qinwen: The sixth-seeded Paris Olympics gold medalist continued her run by rallying from a set down to beat Russian Erika Andreeva 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-2.
Krejcikova Suffers Major Upset
The biggest shock of the day came as eighth-seeded Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova was knocked out by Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, losing 6-4, 7-5. This marks the most significant upset of the tournament so far.
Dangerous Conditions
The extreme heat and humidity in New York led organizers to invoke the extreme weather rule, allowing for mid-match breaks. Several players, including Tomas Etcheverry and Andrey Rublev, mentioned the challenging conditions, with Rublev humorously saying he felt like he had “a baby” in his stomach after drinking too much water.
As the tournament progresses, the unpredictable conditions and upsets add an extra layer of excitement to the US Open, with top players needing to be at their best to advance.
