US Open: Novak Djokovic Overcomes Slow Start, Jack Draper Withdraws, Emma Raducanu Advances
US Open: Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start to beat Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday
Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start to beat Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday, remaining unbeaten for his career in the first two rounds of the US Open. Djokovic appeared to be laboring physically early in the match, as he was at times in his first-round victory. But after getting broken to fall behind 3-1 in the third set, he finally began looking like the player who has won a men's-record 24 Grand Slam titles, including four of them in New York.
The No. 7-seeded Djokovic won the next eight games against the American qualifier to open a 3-0 lead in the fourth set and eventually closed it out in just 26 minutes after the first set took an hour.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has reached the third round in all 19 appearances in New York.
No. 5 seed Jack Draper withdraws from the US Open with an injury
Jack Draper, a U.S. Open semifinalist in 2024 and the No. 5 seed this year, withdrew from the tournament Wednesday with an injury.
He was scheduled for a second-round match against Zizou Bergs, who advanced to the third round by walkover.
Draper hadn't played since a second-round loss at Wimbledon and the left-hander said before singles play began in this tournament that he had been battling a painful bone bruise in his upper arm that bothered him when he hit serves or forehands.
The British player then beat qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez of Argentina in four sets in his first-round match on Monday, saying afterward that he wasn't able to serve with his normal power.
“I tried my very best to be here and give myself the every chance to play but the discomfort in my arm has become (too) much and I have to do what is right and look after myself,” Draper wrote on social media.
Draper had reached at least the third round in all three previous appearances at the U.S. Open. Last year he became the first man since Daniil Medvedev in 2020 to reach the semifinals without dropping a set before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
Raducanu wins
Emma Raducanu returned to familiar territory at Flushing Meadows, advancing to the third round of the US Open for the first time since her 2021 title-winning run with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 victory over Indonesia's Janice Tjen.
The 22-year-old Brit has looked sharp all week, dropping just four games in her first two matches. After sweeping past former doubles World No. 4 Ena Shibahara in her opener, Raducanu dismantled Tjen — a qualifier who had enjoyed a stunning rise since graduating from Pepperdine University last year. Tjen, ranked No. 149, came into the match on the back of a 101-13 win-loss record and a first-round upset of 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova. But against Raducanu, her dream run came to a swift end in just over an hour.
Raducanu's serve proved decisive, firing eight aces and conceding only 13 points behind her delivery. She faced three break points in the third game but saved them all, ensuring her hold on the momentum. The Brit was equally clinical from the baseline, directing the majority of her attacks to Tjen's backhand side, drawing frequent errors and carving out space for her 16 winners.
Novak Djokovic