Novak Djokovic back in US Open 3rd round after sluggish start

NEW YORK -- For the second contest in a row at this US Open, Novak Djokovic appeared a bit sluggish, a bit off, for a stretch. This time, he even dropped the opening set. And then, as always at Flushing Meadows, the 24-time Grand Slam champion progressed to the third round.

Djokovic improved to 36-0 across the first and second rounds in New York, where he has won four championships, by coming back to beat 145th-ranked American qualifier Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday.

"I really tried to soak it in and enjoy the moment, especially when I won the first set," said Svajda, a 22-year-old from San Diego. "It kind of shocked me. I was like, 'Wow!'"

Playing the opening match of the day session at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since 2014, Djokovic improved to 54-45 in majors after losing the opening set -- the most such wins by any man in the Open era (since 1968).

Editor's Picks

• No. 5 Draper pulls out of US Open with arm injury

  2hSimon Cambers

• Fritz, Tiafoe wins lead American men at US Open

  17m

• Americans Pegula, Navarro through at US Open

  34m

Asked on court afterward how he felt in his first competition since losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals July 11 while hindered by a groin injury, Djokovic replied: "Not that great, to be honest."

Svajda noticed.

"He was missing a little bit," said Svajda, who got cramps in his legs and arms as the match wore on. "He was getting a little frustrated."

At his news conference later, 38-year-old Djokovic spoke a little more about his mood.

"It's not a motivation thing. It's just like me a bit frustrated with my game, and then I kind of go through stuff internally that -- you don't want to know the details what I'm going through and telling myself," he explained after getting to the third round at a major for the 75th time, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most such appearances by a man.

"I'm just trying to be locked in. Just trying to solve the riddle once I'm on the court," Djokovic continued. "It's not like I'm not finding joy on the court competing. I enjoy competing, but I don't enjoy not playing well. That's why I put extra pressure on myself and my team to be better the next day, the next match."

(7) Djokovic def. Svajda: 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1

• Djokovic: 15-0 vs. Americans at US Open; best such record by any man at this event since the Open era began in 1968
• 191st career match win at a hard-court major; ties Roger Federer for 2nd most by any player behind Serena Williams (200)
• 54th career major victory after losing opening set; 10 more than any other man in the Open era
• 75th major 3rd-round appearance; breaks a tie with Roger Federer for most by any man in the Open era
• Svadja: 0-5 in career vs. ATP Top-25 ranked players; was seeking to reach 3rd round of a major for first time in career

-- ESPN Research

That next match will come against Cam Norrie, a British left-hander who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2022.

Norrie, who is winless in six meetings with Djokovic, will face the task that Svajda did Wednesday.

"He does everything so well, which is incredible," Svajda said. "I was talking to my team and coaches before, trying to figure it out. It's Novak Djokovic, so there's not a big weakness."

In other men's singles second-round results, No. 20 Jiri Lehecka defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4. And Czechia's Tomas Machac, the No. 21 seed, got past Brazilian 19-year-old sensation Joao Fonseca 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-3.

No. 12 Casper Ruud, whose 0-3 record in Grand Slam finals includes a loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows in 2022, was eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 by Raphael Collignon of Belgium.

The 107th-ranked Collignon had never won a match at a major or played a five-setter until this tournament.

Another seeded to player to go down was No. 18 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, beaten by Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.