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Novak Djokovic drops set, still finds his way to third round at US Open

AP photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth / Novak Djokovic wipes sweat from his face between serves to Zachary Svajda during their second-round match at the U.S. Open on Wednesday in New York.
AP photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth / Novak Djokovic wipes sweat from his face between serves to Zachary Svajda during their second-round match at the U.S. Open on Wednesday in New York. AP photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth / Novak Djokovic wipes sweat from his face between serves to Zachary Svajda during their second-round match at the U.S. Open on Wednesday in New York.

By HOWARD FENDRICH / The Associated Press 6 min read

NEW YORK — For the second contest in a row at this U.S. 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 38-year-old Serbian star progressed to the third round.

Djokovic improved to 36-0 across the first and second rounds in New York, where he has won four of his record 24 men’s singles major championships, by coming back to beat 145th-ranked American qualifier Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium 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!'”

When asked in his on-court interview afterward how he has felt in his first tournament since losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals on July 11 while hindered by a groin injury, Djokovic replied: “Not that great, to be honest.”