Novak Djokovic demonstrated his trademark resilience Wednesday night, rallying from a first-set tiebreak loss to defeat American qualifier Zachary Svajda 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 at the US Open. The Serbian legend secured his record 75th Grand Slam third-round appearance – surpassing Roger Federer's previous mark – in a match that tested both players' physical endurance under the New York lights.
The 24-time major champion initially struggled with rhythm against the 20-year-old Californian, committing 15 unforced errors in the opening set. Svajda's aggressive baseline play forced a tiebreak, but Djokovic recalibrated his game to dominate subsequent sets as his opponent battled apparent leg fatigue.
'Every match writes its own story,' Djokovic told reporters post-match. 'When you're facing young competitors hungry to prove themselves, you need to find solutions quickly.'
The victory sets up a third-round clash with Britain's Cameron Norrie, against whom Djokovic holds a 3-1 career advantage. With this win, the 38-year-old remains on track to potentially claim a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title – his first since returning to Flushing Meadows as defending champion.
