Defending champion Novak Djokovic advanced to the US Open third round on Wednesday after Laslo Djere retired in the third set of a pulsating encounter.
Djokovic was leading 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 when Djere decided to end the match. Both players had called for the physio at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Serbian expressed his disappointment with the turn of events and acknowledged that he needs to improve to clinch his fifth title on the New York hard courts.
With this victory, Djokovic achieved his 90th win at the US Open, making him the first to reach 90 victories at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
The match was fiercely contested until the moment Djere retired. Djere, the only player to take a set off Djokovic at last year’s US Open, secured a break in the second set and held a 4-2 lead with two more break points he couldn’t convert.
Djokovic then went on to win the next six games, with Djere receiving treatment on his abdomen before Djokovic closed out the second set.
Coco Still Cruising
Meanwhile, in the women’s event, defending champion Coco Gauff overcame her struggles on serve to defeat 37-year-old Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0.
Gauff, who has had an inconsistent season since winning her first major in New York, acknowledged her uneven performance, citing her low first serve percentage of 44 and nine double faults.
However, she managed to win the last seven games and secure the victory as the 99th-ranked Maria couldn’t capitalise on Gauff’s shortcomings.
Reflecting on her performance, Gauff commented, “I think I played well overall. If I could have served better, that first set would have been much easier.”
Djokovic and Gauff were fortunate to avoid the worst of the sweltering conditions on a day when the tournament organisers implemented the extreme weather rule, allowing for mid-match breaks.