Serbian Novak Djokovic, seeded No. 2 and reigning champion of this US Open, made a successful start on Monday in New York. The recent Olympic champion dominated qualifier Radu Albot (6-2, 6-2, 6-4) to validate his ticket for the second round.
“I think it was a solid start to the tournament”Djokovic confided in a press conference, he who had not played on hard since Indian Wells. “I struggled a bit with my serve and some shots but overall it was not bad. It is a challenge to come back on this surface after so much time and even more so coming from the clay court Games. I know my first rounds will be maybe a bit more complicated. I hope to improve day by day.”
“I love night sessions but maybe not so late…“
With this 78th victory on the Arthur Ashe stadium, Djokovic was able to add another line to his record book since he is now the player with the most successes on this mythical court. The record was previously held by Roger Federer. “I didn’t know about that, to be honest.”he confided on the court when this record was announced. “It’s our biggest stadium, the loudest and the one that offers the best night sessions. The atmosphere is electric and the energy is incredible. It’s midnight now, I love night sessions but maybe not that late… I still had a great time and I thank everyone who stayed.”
Later in a press conference, “Nole” gave a little message to the organization: “I like to play night sessions, but in first rotation.” Scheduled for the second and final match, it was indeed delayed by Clara Burel’s comeback against Sloane Stephens. “I hope to play more night sessions but play first so I can start and finish at a decent time. Finishing after midnight is not really what you want as a gamer.”
Djokovic, who is chasing a 25th Grand Slam title, will now face compatriot Laslo Djere for a place in the third round. “We met in the locker room and I congratulated him. There will be a Serbian player in the third round so it’s great: I hope it’s me but Djere is a player who loves big chances. This fast surface will suit him, especially with his flat backhand and his serve. It will be a tough match.” Here last year, Djokovic was led two sets to nothing by Djere in the third round before managing to get out of it (4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3).
Other first round matches at the US Open (Grand Slam, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, $75,000,000, results listed from newest to oldest):
- Lorenzo Sonego – Tommy Paul: scheduled for Wednesday
- Carlos Alcaraz – Li Tu: scheduled for Tuesday
- Mattia Bellucci – Stan Wawrinka: scheduled for Tuesday
- Fabian Marozsan – Hamad Medjedovic: scheduled for Tuesday
- Zizou Bergs – Pavel Kotov: mardi program
- Flavio Cobolli – James Duckworth: scheduled for Tuesday
- Jaume Munar – Gabriel Diallo : scheduled Tuesday
- Christopher O’Connell – Nicolas Jarry: scheduled for Tuesday
- Matteo Arnaldi – Zachary Svajda: Scheduled for Wednesday
- Corentin Moutet – Sebastian Korda: scheduled for Tuesday
- Facundo Diaz Acosta – Hugo Gaston : mardi program
- Denis Shapovalov – Botic van de Zandschulp : Tuesday programme
- Max Purcell – Aleksandar Vukic: scheduled for Tuesday
- Arthur Fils – Learner Tien: scheduled for Tuesday
- Alex De Minaur – Marcos Giron: scheduled for Tuesday
- Dusan Lajovic – Daniil Medvedev: the program is mardi
- Jannik Sinner – Mackenzie McDonald: scheduled for Tuesday
- Matthew Forbes – Roman Safiullin: scheduled for Tuesday
- Zhizhen Zhang – Jack Draper: scheduled for Tuesday
- Daniel Evans – Karen Khachanov: scheduled for Tuesday
- Otto Virtanen – Quentin Halys : programmé mardi
- Fabio Fognini – Tomas Machac: scheduled for Tuesday
- Borna Coric – Adrian Mannarino : scheduled Tuesday
- Nuno Borges – Federico Coria: Tuesday program
- Eliot Spizzirri – Alex Michelsen : scheduled Tuesday
- Timofey Skatov – Hubert Hurkacz : programmé mardi
- Constant Lestienne – Jordan Thompson: scheduled for Tuesday
- Mariano Navone – Daniel Altmaier: scheduled for Tuesday
- Alejandro Tabilo – David Goffin: scheduled for Tuesday
- Jakub Mensik – Felix Auger-Aliassime: Friday program
- Tristan Schoolkate – Taro Daniel: scheduled for Tuesday
- Stefanos Tsitsipas – Thanasi Kokkinakis : programmé mardi
- Tallon Griekspoor – Sumit Nagal : 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 [6]
- Arthur Cazaux – Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
- Laslo Djere – Jan-Lennard Struff : 6-7 [7]6-1, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
- Frances Tiafoe (N.20) – Aleksandar Kovacevic : 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
- Sebastian Baez (N.21) – Luciano Darderi: 6-4, 6-7 [3]6-0, 7-6 [4]
- Brandon Nakashima – Holger Rune (N.15) : 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
- Rinky Hijikata – Alejandro Davidovich Fokina : 7-6 [1]3-6, 6-4, 6-3
- Arthur Rinderknech – Christopher Eubanks (WC) : 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 [8]
- Alexander Shevchenko – Dominik Koepfer: 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
- Grigor Dimitrov (N.9) – Kyrian Jacquet (Q) : 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
- Alexandre Muller (WC) – Adam Walton : 3-6, 7-6 [7]6-3, 6-4
- Gael Monfils – Diego Schwartzman (Q) : 6-7 [2]6-2, 6-2, 6-1
- Tomas Martin Etcheverry – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard : 6-4, 6-2, 6-3
- Miomir Kecmanovic – Yoshihito Nishioka : Kecmanovic qualifié (7-6 [2]2-6, 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 ab.)
- Francisco Cerundolo (N.29) – Sebastian Ofner : 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
- Lorenzo Musetti (N.18) – Reilly Opelka : 7-6 [3]1-6, 6-1, 7-5
- Jiri Lehecka (N.32) – Marton Fucsovics: Lehecka qualified (1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 3-0 ab.)
- Taylor Fritz (No. 12) – Camilo Ugo Carabelli : 7-5, 6-1, 6-2
- Andrey Rublev (N.6) – Thiago Seyboth Wild : 6-3, 7-6 [3]7-5
- Pedro Martinez Goalkeeper – Maks Kasnikowski (Q): 6-7 [6]6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 [6]
- Alexei Popyrin (N.28) – SoonWoo Kwon : 7-5, 6-2, 6-3
- Casper Ruud (N.8) – Yunchaokete Bu (Q) : 7-6 [2]6-2, 6-2
- Matteo Berrettini – Albert Ramos Vinolas : 7-6 [2]6-2, 6-3
- Ben Shelton (N.13) – Dominic Thiem (WC) : 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
- Ugo Humbert (No.17) – Thiago Monteiro : 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
- Juncheng Shang – Alexander Bublik (N.27) : 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
- Roberto Bautista Agut – Luca Nardi : 7-5, 7-6 [3]7-6 [5]
- Mitchell Krueger (Q) – Hugo Grenier (Q) : 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
- Alexander Zverev (N.4) – Maximilian Marterer (LL) : 6-2, 6-7 [5]6-3, 6-2
- Francisco Comesana – Dominic Stricker : 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 [4]6-3
- Roberto Carballes Baena – Jan Choinski (Q): 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-7 [5]6-3
