NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic started his bid for a report twenty fifth Grand Slam title and tied Roger Federer along with his 89th match win on the US Open by defeating qualifier Radu Albot of Moldova 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 on Monday evening.
The second-seeded Djokovic, once more carrying a grey sleeve over his surgically repaired proper knee, was competing for the primary time since claiming an Olympic gold medal three weeks in the past on the Paris Video games, the final vital achievement that was lacking from his résumé.
“It is at all times difficult to start out, significantly when you have not performed on this floor for 5, six months, and coming off an Olympic gold and enjoying on clay,” Djokovic mentioned. “I have not had any official matches earlier than the US Open. So I am anticipating to be in all probability challenged a bit bit extra within the opening rounds. Hopefully, I can play higher every day.”
He mentioned his knee, which was operated on in early June, feels high quality.
Djokovic, a 37-year-old from Serbia, improved to 18-0 in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows and is now 89-13 total on the hard-court match, which he is received 4 instances, together with a yr in the past. He is by no means misplaced sooner than the third spherical on the US Open; Albot by no means has been previous the third spherical in 30 appearances at majors.
The retired Federer went 89-14 in New York, with 5 consecutive championships from 2004 to 2008. He is the latest man to win the US Open at the least twice in a row. Amongst males, solely Jimmy Connors, who went 98-17, received extra matches than Djokovic and Federer on the occasion.
Djokovic by no means has misplaced a Grand Slam match to somebody ranked as little as No. 138 Albot. Albot is now 0-12 in opposition to opponents ranked within the prime 10.
Subsequent up for Djokovic is a countryman, acquainted opponent and pal, Laslo Djere, who superior with a 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff. A yr in the past, Djokovic met Djere within the third spherical on the US Open; Djere took the primary two units earlier than Djokovic got here by means of in 5.
“It is a assured third spherical for one of many Serbian guys,” Djokovic mentioned. “Hopefully it’ll be me. However Djere is a man that basically likes enjoying on a giant stage. I feel he additionally loves the situations right here. It is a bit faster. Ball stays low. He has a really flat backhand significantly and excellent serve, nice return. He is bodily as match as anyone. I keep in mind very nicely our match. It was a really robust match. I’ll attempt to analyze that and hopefully do some issues even higher than I did final yr.”
