Novak Djokovic breezed through the the second round of US Open defeating American qualifier Zachary Svajda in four sets on Wednesday night.
Despite dropping the opening set in a tense tiebreaker and showing early signs of discomfort, Djokovic once again reminded the world why he remains the man to beat in Grand Slam tennis.
“I wasn’t playing that great, to be honest,” Djokovic admitted after the match, giving credit to the 21-year-old Svajda, who had come through four rounds of qualifying to reach the second round. But experience and resilience told the story as the world No. 1 found his rhythm when it mattered most, capitalizing on Svajda’s cramping in the latter stages to cruise through in just under three hours.
Novak Djokovic Ties Roger Federer
Win this win, Djokovic added another milestone to this illustrious career. Djokovic secured his 191st career Grand Slam win on hard courts, equaling Roger Federer for the most in history during the Open Era. It’s a remarkable milestone that further cements Djokovic’s dominance on the surface that has been the battleground for some of the sport’s most iconic matches over the past two decades.
The Serb already holds the record for most Grand Slam titles on hard courts, with nine Australian Open and five US Open trophies. His 14 majors on the surface put him well ahead of Federer’s 11 and Rafael Nadal’s 5.
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Another Record
Wednesday’s match also marked Djokovic’s 75th appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam, breaking yet another record previously held by Federer. It’s one of many benchmarks the tennis icon has surpassed over the past few seasons, as he systematically rewrites the sport’s history books.
Here’s where Djokovic stands in the major statistical categories:
Grand Slam Titles
- Djokovic: 24
- Nadal: 22
- Federer: 20
Grand Slam Finals
- Djokovic: 37
- Federer: 31
- Nadal: 30
Semi-Finals
- Djokovic: 52
- Federer: 46
- Nadal: 38
Quarter-Finals
- Djokovic: 63
- Federer: 58
- Nadal: 47
As of 2025, Djokovic also holds the all-time record for:
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- Most Grand Slam match wins
- Most weeks at No. 1
- Only man to win all four Grand Slams at least three times (Career Triple Slam)
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Chasing Grand Slam No. 25
Novak Djokovic is bidding for his record 25th Grand Slam title in the Flushing Meadows. It is not going to be a smooth sail for the 38-year-old as he will have to overcome the likes of Carloz Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who are in red-hot forms.
The tennis legend had skipped the ATP Masters tournaments just to focus on the grand slams, showing his determination for winning the elusive 25th major trophy.
His next test will come against either Britain’s Cameron Norrie or Argentina’s Francisco Comesana in the third round—both younger opponents, but neither with Djokovic’s battle-hardened Grand Slam pedigree.
