After a tricky opening-round test that did little to dispel the persisting sense of vulnerability about Novak Djokovic, the No1 seed resumes his US Open title defence – and bid for a 13th grand slam title – on Wednesday afternoon against the young Czech Jiri Vesely.
The Serb managed to see off Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz on Mondayin the first ever night match under Arthur Ashe Stadium’s new roof but the 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory was not without warning signs. Djokovic called a medical timeout and summoned the trainer to work on his right arm only five games into the opening set, then blinked with a crucial double fault in the climactic game as Janowicz levelled the match at one set apiece.
Class ultimately won out but a tournament that had already felt vitally important to Djokovic’s season and status as the tour’s apex predator has been informed with even weightier implications.
Woes like these might have strained credulity at the summer’s outset after he completed the career grand slam at Roland Garros to become the first man to capture four straight majors since Rod Laver in 1969. But then Djokovic suffered a shock third-round defeat by Sam Querrey at Wimbledon, which abruptly snapped his streak of 28 grand slam quarter-final appearances and marked the first time in eight majors he had so much as dropped a set during the first week.
That was followed by a tearful opening-round exit to Juan Martín del Potro at the Rio Olympics, the wrist injury that resurfaced there and the surprise admission on the eve of the season-ending major that “private issues” had compromised his run at a calendar-year grand slam.
Now it is Vesely at Flushing Meadows, the world No49 who prevailed in their only previous meeting at Monte Carlo in April, becoming one of only four men to defeat Djokovic in a completed match since November.
“Different surface, different circumstances, best-of-five,” said Djokovic of the second-round tilt. “But still, Vesely deserves respect. He’s somebody that has been kind of trying to break through as the next generation.
“Couple years ago he already was there. He made a name of himself. Just gained the consistency I think over the last couple of years. He has a big game, a big serve, big forehand, and moves well for his size. So let’s see.“Obviously he hasn’t played many times on the Arthur [Ashe] Stadium. If you get to play there, it’s quite different. I like playing there, especially with the roof construction. Conditions are quite suitable to my style.”
