Novak Djokovic opened his US Open 2025 campaign with a 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 win over American teen Learner Tien in the first round of the US Open Sunday night.
However, the victory came with several fitness concerns. The Serb was seen struggling with his footwork and balance, laboured physically.
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Djokovic required a lengthy medical timeout to treat a blister on his right foot between the second and third sets. With 20 unforced errors in the second set alone. He also took a clumsy fall due to poor footwork stretching wide for a Tien serve early in the second set.
The 38-year-old was not in the best of his forms. He frequently looked to his box for technical advice in the early stages of the match. He called an ATP physio to court after the second set to re-apply tape to a bloodied big toe on his right foot.
Earlier in the match he appeared to be troubled by a hip issue and also pulled his racquet behind his head on several occasions, perhaps in an attempt to suck in more oxygen.
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“It was a strange kind of match. The first set was 20 minutes and then the second one was one hour and 20, so quite the opposite sets we played,” Djokovic said. “It was key for me to hold my nerves in the second set and clinch it in a tie-break.
“After that I started feeling better. I can always do better but it’s a great way to start this year’s campaign.”
Djokovic fired two aces in the opening game of the match and made just four unforced errors as he steamrolled 19-year-old in just 24 minutes to take the opener. From there, things got a lot more complicated.
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“Well, I started great,” Djokovic said. “Then some long games in the second set, I started to feel really… I was really surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically.
“Good thing is that I have two days off. It’s slightly a concern. I don’t have an injury or anything. I just struggled to stay in long exchanges and recover after points.”
Djokovic was playing his first match since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals. He skipped ATP Masters events in Toronto and Cincinnati to focus all his energy on the US Open as he bids for his 25th grand slam title. The last time he won a major was in New York in 2023.
