"I really was surprised how bad I was feeling"- Novak Djokovic makes honest admission about his struggles despite US Open 1R win

Novak Djokovic maintained his unbeaten first-round record at the US Open, as he won against Learner Tien in straight sets in the first round. However, even though the scoreline looks straightforward on paper, the Serb was in a bit of a struggle during the match.

The four-time champion in New York hit the ground running against his young American opponent, winning the first set comfortably by a 6-1 score. However, it was the second set where Djokovic seemed to physically struggle, even calling out the trainer on court at one point. He saved a set point a 4-5, and eventually clinched the second set in the tiebreaker. He lost serve in the very first game of the third set, but quickly recovered to win the third set 6-2, closing out the match.

After the match, Djokovic made it clear that he did not have any injuries and was himself surprised at the physical exertion being put on his body during long rallies. He openly admitted that he was struggling to get his breath back after a long point and needed some time to recover for the next point.

"I really was surprised how bad I was feeling in the second physically. It's slightly a concern. I don't know. I don't have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points" said Djokovic after the match

Novak Djokovic will face another young American opponent in the next round, as he will take on qualifier Zachary Svajda.

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Novak Djokovic has a decent draw at the 2025 US Open

In Picture: Djokovic celebrating his 1R win at the 2025 US Open (Getty)

When the draw for the 2025 US Open came out, it was a sight of relief for Novak Djokovic, as the Serb got an easier draw. His first-seeded opponent in the tournament is projected to be 28th-seeded Alex Michelsen, against whom he has a 1-0 head-to-head record.

Djokovic's probable opponent in the fourth round would be either eleventh-seeded Holger Rune or seventeenth-seeded Frances Tiafoe. While the Serb has a 4-2 head-to-head record against the Dane, he has a 2-0 win-loss record against the American player.

The probable quarterfinal opponent for Djokovic would be the fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz. Even though the American player is the higher-ranked or seeded player compared to Djokovic right now, he has not been able to get past the Serb even once in the ten matches they have played.

Once these hurdles are crossed, Novak Djokovic will possibly have to go through both his young rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, for the title. Even though that remains a tough challenge for the Serb at this point of his career, an easier draw in the early part of the tournament would put him in a good position to get past the test.