Novak Djokovic’s latest US Open match had all the elements, partially great victory and personal frustration. In a second-round encounter on August 28, 2024, Djokovic cruised into the third round when fellow Serb Laslo Djere retired while he was leading 6-4, 6-4, 2-0. Now one step closer to a record 25th Grand Slam title, visibly, Djokovic was unhappy with himself because of his serve.
Djokovic vs. Djere Match
Novak Djokovic got drawn from Djere—a quite shaky opponent given the circumstances. Given his huge lead, it was less an assurance of how easy the match was but rather how it seemed. He was not ready to go through such a grueling contest as last year he did at this same second-round stage match against Djere. On court, the conditions were nasty, with the roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium closed because of the weather.
The storm made the match a little bit more difficult for the players to compete in. It was hot and humid, and thus they were playing in a virtual sweat. This worked hard on the endurance of the players and their concentration. Djokovic covered his right knee, which had undergone surgery, with a sleeve, for which he did not show up as readily. He was able, however, to push through, though not without some visible frustration.
Djere’s Struggles and Retirement
Soon enough, Djere’s injury issues came to light. While being competitive in the early parts of the game, his physical pain slowly started to creep in. In the third set, Novak Djokovic saw a visibly painful Djere, who could go no further. Novak Djokovic was relieved by his retirement as he was fighting not only his opponent but also the conditions at the court.
Although he won the match, Novak Djokovic was anything but pleased with his performance, most notably with his serving. He labeled it as awful, adding that he had to rely on his baseline game much because of the difficulty he encountered with his serve. This is self-criticism in light of his win to advance into the next round-a telling revelation of how hard Djokovic pushes himself.
Djokovic’s Road to a Record
Indeed, this is a huge win for Djokovic in his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title. With the defeat of Djere, Djokovic is one step closer to that milestone. He will also try to be the first man to defend the US Open title since Roger Federer did it in 2008. Novak Djokovic kept his eye on the prize, clearly intent on making tennis history.
Despite the dire factors, however, Novak Djokovic has at least reached the third round in each of his US Open appearances so far. This success just shows how great his skills and strengths on the court are. Adding another feather to his cap, his 90th US Open victory entails him as one of the greatest players of all time.
While it’s great to observe his incredible talent, the match of Novak Djokovic against Laslo Djere showed a structured approach to being even better. If the victory via walkover was an important step forward, his self-criticism regarding his serve is just proof of how he never stops in this pursuit of perfection. It is exactly in this direction that fans will look at him in the further stages of the tournament with curiosity.
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