Experience the excitement of the US Open 2024 as Djokovic advances after a challenging match against Djere. Stay updated on all the thrilling moments.
Introduction:
With the roof shut on Arthur Ashe Stadium to the reverberations of rumbling thunder across New York City, defending champion Novak Djokovic was put through his paces in a second-round match at the US Open 2024. Standing on the other side of the net was his countryman Laslo Djere, 29, a veteran of his seventh US Open. Each player took the game to the extremities.
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A Grueling First Set
The first set of the match took a full hour to complete, but Djokovic finally edged out Djere 6-4 when he seized in the 10th game by winning every point on the Serb’s serve. This was the turning point for Djokovic to dictate his pace throughout the match. But Djere turned out to be one of those opponents who never seemed to give up.
The Battle of the Second Set
The second set started much like the first: a real slugfest, if the players were on some kind of gradual warm-up. The first game, with four deuces, took 16 minutes to resolve and left both contestants gasping. For both, the stifling humidity inside the stadium made things really tough. Several slips on the court did little to help Djokovic, who hurt his right knee at the French Open. However, he held serve in the opening game despite his fifth double fault in the match.
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Finding his groove, Djere then broke Djokovic in the third game to go 2-1 ahead and never stopped there as he led 4-2 and seemed well set to take the opening set. But Djokovic, one of the most resilient players in the world, came roaring back with two straight games to square the set at 4-4.
TURNING POINT – DJERE’S INJURY
With the match well past the two hour mark, the script got completely flipped. Djokovic held for 5-4 and Djere summoned the medical timeout with pain in the lower left abdomen area. Anyone that watched scenes of Djere grimacing on the giant screen in Arthur Ashe Stadium knew something was off. Observant Djokovic had already picked up his compatriot’s vulnerability.
In an interview on “60 Minutes,” recently, Djokovic said he is aware of every subtlety in his opponent’s physical and mental state during a match. He observes every minute detail-from body language to how an opponent communicates with his team-as a potential weakness.
When Djere returned to the court, he attempted to hold serve and hold onto the set, but at set point, he hit a forehand long and Djokovic took a two-set lead, 6-4, 6-4.
Djere Abandonous in the Third Set
As the third set got underway, Djokovic held his serve to go 1-0 ahead. The following game saw Djere lose every single point on his serve. Clearly in much discomfort with his injury, Djere crossed the net post and elected to withdraw from the match after two hours and 16 minutes of grueling action. Djokovic, having warred mightily for every possible point, was both relieved and sympathetic toward his opponent.
“It’s not what we want. It’s not what the crowd wants, to see a walkover,” Djokovic said in his post-match interview. He first gave credit to Djere’s play, especially in the tough conditions, adding that Djere was close to winning the second set. “He was up 4-2. It was a big fight over two hours for two sets. I served awful. Without a serve, you have to grind, you have to run. I had to rely on my baseline game,” Djokovic admitted.
Match Reflection and Moving On
The tough match notwithstanding, Djokovic declared himself pleased with the way he performed, particularly at those critical moments of the match when he outlasted his opponent. “Of course, I have to be happy with a win and in the important moments that I played one more ball over the net than him,” he added. Djokovic also said matches get tougher as the tournament nears its climax, though he was confident he will make it through. “The matches are only going to get tougher from here. But I’ll be fine. I’ll find my way as I have many times in my career.”
This victory marked the second time Djokovic had eliminated Djere from the US Open. Their last meeting was in the third round at the US Open back in 2023, where Djere won the first two sets but eventually lost in five as Djokovic staged an incredible comeback. Reflecting upon his career, where he stands now at 37 years of age, Djokovic was thankful to still be competing:. “It’s a great privilege to be able to play again at my age, to keep pushing the bar for the younger guys and see how far I can go,” he said.
Next Generation: Alexei Popyrin in the US Open 2024
In the third round, Djokovic will face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, 25, who has shown a lot of progress in his game. Djokovic has beaten Popyrin three times in his career, including two Grand Slam matches this year at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. However, after his recent ATP Masters 1000 title in Montreal, Popyrin is ready for a fight. “His backhand and his movement have improved a lot. He doesn’t make as many errors as he used to. He’s pumped. There’s no reason for him not to believe that he can put up a great performance. But I know what to expect as well,” Djokovic said.
As the US Open 2024 progresses, attention will be on Djokovic in the hunt for yet another Grand Slam title.