Novak Djokovic conquered an early fear of reaching the third round of the US Open on Wednesday (27 August 2025), while defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka prepared for her title offer.
Djokovic, who pursues a record 25th Grand Slam-Singles title, recovered from going against the American qualifying Zachary Svajda to complete a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win over the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court.
The 38-year-old Serbian legend had not played anymore since his semi-final in Wimbledon in July before he arrived in New York, with the majority of the North American Hardcourt Swing skip.
Djokovic said that, although not at his best, he hopes to play himself in shape as the tournament progresses.
“That’s what I hope, the deeper I go to the tournament, the better I think about my game,” he said.
“Of course a little different for me the last few years, body -wise. I get the wear faster than before.”
The victory of Djokovic sees him in the third round in the US Open for a record-similar 19th time, where he will encounter the Great Britain Cameron Norrie, which defeated Francisco Comesana 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/4).
Norrie is one of only two British men who were left in the draw after the fifth placed countryman Jack Draper had withdrawn earlier (August 2025) because of an injury.
Draper reached the semi-final in New York last year, but this year missed warm-up events in Cincinnati and Toronto while giving a bone button in his left arm. Draper’s second round opponent, Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, got a walkover in the third round.
The withdrawal of Draper knew Jannik Sinner’s path to defend his title. Sinner would be confronted with Draper in the quarterfinals.
In the action of other men on Wednesday (27 August 2025), the Norwegian 12th Seed Casper Ruud, the 2022 US Open finalist, to Raphael Collignon in Belgium, with 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Fourth Seed Taylor Fritz improved safely and defeated Lloyd Harris van Zuid Africa with 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-4, while the American countryman Frances Tiafoe, Zaaie 17, also progressed with a four-set defeat of qualifying artin Damm. Tiafoe won 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5.
Later Wednesday (27 August 2025), the Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz wants to roll his campaign with a night match against Mattia Bellucci in Italy.
Radan rolls on
In the Meanwhile, World Number One Sabalenka is also confronted with a night match and the Russia Polina Kudermetova is also confronted with Arthur Ashe.
In other games on Wednesday (27 August 2025), the British Emma Raducanu continued its solid start of the tournament after sending the Indonesian qualification Janice Tjen in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
Tjen had become the first Indonesian player to reach the main table of a Grand Slam in 21 years and followed it with a first round of the 24th Peedonika Kudermetova.
But she was comfortably defeated by Raducanu, who wants to recapture the American open title she won as an 18-year qualifying match in 2021. Raducanu will be confronted in the next round compared to ninth seed Elena Rybakina.
While Tjen was on his way to the exit, another player from Southeast -Asia, the Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, also saw her tournament.
Eala, the first player from the Philippines who won a Grand Slam Singles match with her defeat of 14th seed Clara Tauson on Sunday (August 24, 2025), was defeated 6-4, 6-3 by the Spain Cristina Bucsa.
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula is also in the third round after beating the Russian Anna Blinkova 6-1, 6-3. There was also a victory for veteran Victoria Azarenka, the 36-year-old double Australian open champion from Belarus, who defeated the Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3.
Published – August 28, 2025 4:22 AM Op IS
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