Published 11:50 IST, August 29th 2019
Novak Djokovic wins his 2nd match at US Open despite injury scare
Novak Djokovic won his second round match at US Open against Argentina's Juan Ignacio Londero in straight sets despite his shoulder injury early break of serve.
Novak Djokovic, defending US Open Champion won his second-round match against Argentina's Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium despite the shoulder injury scare. The Serbian had a sluggish start, with Londero breaking him in the opener. But Djokovic found his way back in the game and still won the match in straight sets. During his on-court interview he said, "I want to congratulate Londero for showing a great fighting spirit and playing some great tennis tonight. It's a straight-sets win, but it was definitely a very difficult match to play. A lot of rallies, especially in the first couple of sets.”
New US Open Record
With this win, Djokovic now has a total of 71 victories in the last major of the season. He has tied the record with former five-time US Open winner Pete Sampras at the fifth place in the Open Era. Among the active players, he is only behind the third-seeded Roger Federer, who is placed second with 87 wins. Jimmy Connors has the highest number of wins at the US Open in the Open Era having won 98 times.
Shoulder Injury Scare
Djokovic struggled in the match because of his left shoulder. He took regular medical timeouts to get his left shoulder treated during the match. "It has caused hindrance to my game for sure tonight, especially with the serve and backhand. It was not easy to play with this kind of sensation, to be honest. I did not experience that too many times in my career," Djokovic told the reporters when asked about his shoulder. "I was also lucky to find my way back in the second set and to win in the straight sets," he said.
He previously made hints about his physical condition being troubled after his first-round win against Roberto Carballes Baena. "I have a little issue. I have been feeling painful for ten days, it bothers a bit my rhythm from the baseline and on serve, but it's better than three or four days ago. I think it will be better in the next match," said Djokovic.
Updated 20:16 IST, August 29th 2019