Djokovic Claims 80th Win Sets Slam Record
Djokovic Battles Through Pain to Secure 80th Win at Arthur Ashe Stadium
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic made a striking return to singles action at the US Open, trading his traditional whites for an all-black outfit as he faced his first match since reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals last month. Despite battling physical issues, the 38-year-old Serbian secured his 80th victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
With the win, Djokovic set a remarkable record, becoming the first player since the Open Era began in 1968 to win 75 consecutive opening-round matches at Grand Slam events — 55 of those in straight sets.
“It was a strange kind of match,” Djokovic admitted, appearing to struggle with injury midway through the contest. “The first set was 20 minutes, and then the second one an hour and 20 — quite the opposite. Holding my nerve in the second set and clinching it in a tiebreak was key. After that, I started feeling better. I can always do better, but it’s a great way to start this year’s campaign.”
The seventh seed overcame an early time violation and a heated debate with the chair umpire, using the moments to rally and close out the opening set quickly.
His opponent, 19-year-old Tien, was aiming to hand Djokovic his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open. Tien fought hard in a grueling second set but ultimately faltered in the tiebreak.
After receiving treatment for a right-foot blister, Djokovic unleashed powerful groundstrokes from the baseline to claim a 3-1 lead in the third set. From there, the four-time US Open champion never looked back, securing his spot in the next round against American Zachary Svajda.
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