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novak djokovic

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Novak Djokovic advanced to the third round of the 2025 US Open after defeating American qualifier Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, remaining unbeaten for his career in the first two rounds of the tournament[1][3].

Playing at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since 2014, Djokovic improved his record to 54-45 in majors after losing the opening set— the most such wins by any man in the Open era. He appeared to struggle physically early in the match, repeating issues seen in his first-round victory. However, after falling behind, Djokovic rallied to win eight consecutive games, ultimately closing out the match in only 26 minutes for the final set[1][3].

This win marks his 191st career match victory at a hard-court major, tying Roger Federer for second most all-time behind Serena Williams. The 38-year-old has now reached the third round in all 19 of his appearances in New York, also equaling Federer’s Open era mark. Djokovic’s next opponent will be either Cameron Norrie or Francisco Comesana[1].

In a noteworthy post-match comment, Djokovic raised a complaint about the pervasive ‘stench’ of cannabis smoke around the tournament grounds, saying, “You feel it more than anywhere else. Some people are more bothered, some less. I’m not a fan of that smell either, stench. But it’s allowed here, and somehow you just have to accept it”[5].

Djokovic is currently ATP world No. 7 as of August 20, 2025[6]. His quest for a record-setting 25th Grand Slam title continues, with his last Slam victory coming at the US Open in 2023[5].

Earlier in 2025, Djokovic reached notable milestones: he played his 430th career major singles match (surpassing Federer’s all-time record), won his 100th ATP title, broke other records at Masters 1000 events, and faced a few early exits in tournaments such as Brisbane and Indian Wells[2]. His current singles win-loss record for 2025 is 26-9, with $3.4 million in prize money[4].

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