Novak Djokovic moved into the third round of the US Open after beating American Zachary Svadja in four sets. The Serbian champion had a slow start, losing the opening set in a tie-break, but bounced back strongly to win the next three. Svadja’s chances also dipped after he picked up an injury in the second set that limited his serve and movement.
Djokovic is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam trophy. However, his recent struggles against Jannik Sinner remain a challenge. The Italian has defeated him in the semifinals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year, and could again prove to be a major obstacle if they meet in New York.
Equals Roger Federer’s record
With this win, Djokovic matched Roger Federer’s record of most hard-court victories in Grand Slams in the Open Era. Both now stand at 191 wins. Djokovic already has five Australian Open titles and three US Open crowns to his name. Impressively, this was his 19th time reaching the third round at the US Open, and he has never failed to do so in his career.
Speaking after the match, Djokovic admitted that he was not satisfied with his performance early on. “I didn’t feel that great to be honest. I wasn’t happy with my tennis for the first part of the match, but also credit to Zach for playing some really high-quality tennis,” he said.
He also praised his opponent for continuing despite the injury. “It was unfortunate that he struggled with injury towards the end of the second set, but kudos to him for staying on the court. It was obvious he couldn’t serve as well as he did for a set and a half. I wished him all the best at the net because I think he’s playing really well.”
How Svajda’s injury impacted his performance
Zachary Svajda struggled with painful cramps in his legs and arms during his second-round match against Novak Djokovic at the US Open 2025.
The problem got worse as the match went on, making it hard for him to serve and move around the court. Even though he started strong and won the first set, the cramps drained his energy and affected his game, helping Djokovic take control and win in four sets. Svajda was still praised for his fighting spirit, as he refused to give up and kept playing despite the pain.
Looking ahead with caution
Djokovic said he usually finds his rhythm as the tournament progresses but admitted that age and fitness have become factors.
“That’s what I’m hoping for. That was the case for most of my Grand Slam career. The deeper I go in the tournament, the better I feel about my game. It’s obviously a little different in the past couple of years for me body-wise, I get wear and tear quicker than I ever used to, so I have to deal with that, a lot of recovery stuff to try to make myself able to perform at the highest level.”