Novak Djokovic Battles Through U.S. Open Opener Challenges

New York, Aug 25 (AP) - Novak Djokovic faces early struggles but prevails in U.S. Open opener.

On Sunday night, the seasoned Novak Djokovic displayed vulnerability as he commenced his U.S. Open journey, battling past the youthful Learner Tien with a 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory. Despite his triumphant record, Djokovic appeared weary at times, contending with leg issues but extending his unblemished first-round streak at the event to 19-0.

The 38-year-old tennis legend expressed concern over his physical state during his first match since Wimbledon. "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," Djokovic noted.

Throughout the second set, the tennis star bent over repeatedly, hands resting on knees, and later sought medical assistance for a blister on his right big toe. However, after an initial setback in the third set, Djokovic rallied, clinching five consecutive games to assert his dominance.

Having last played competitively in a tense semifinal against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon, where he wrestled with an upper left leg injury, Djokovic's form was under scrutiny. The first set was a rapid affair, wrapped up in just 24 minutes. Nevertheless, Djokovic's energy seemed depleted in the second set, which extended nearly an hour longer.

"I started great. Just over 20 minutes, first set, I felt really good," Djokovic recounted. "Then some long games to start the second set, and then I started to feel really — I don't know why. I really was surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically."

Renowned for his endurance, the No. 7 seed found himself challenged by an opponent half his age. Reflecting on the age difference, Djokovic quipped, "To be quite honest with you, I wish I had Learner Tien's age, but that's not possible."

Djokovic appeared visibly drained during the tiebreaker, receiving a second time violation that cost him a first serve. Despite challenges, he seized the subsequent points, winning the tiebreaker and gaining momentum.

The third set saw Djokovic revitalized, ultimately achieving his 75th consecutive first-round triumph at a Grand Slam event, despite abstaining from hard-court tournaments leading up to this major.

While some question his contender status due to recent challenges, Tien believes Djokovic remains a threat. "Obviously Sinner and (Carlos) Alcaraz, those guys are playing extremely well, but I don't think I'd ever count him out," Tien said. "I think he has the ability to play his best tennis and kind of peak when he needs it most, so I'm going to say that he's got a shot."

With an additional day of respite before his next match, Djokovic aims to overcome physical setbacks. "There are positives but also things that hopefully won't happen in terms of, like, how I feel on the court physically the way I felt in the second set," Djokovic acknowledged. "Hopefully that doesn't happen, because then it makes my life on the court definitely much more challenging." (AP)

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