Djokovic: The Challenges and Perseverance Behind 428 Weeks as World No.1, Continuing His US Open Legacy

In the US Open second round, Djokovic overcame Zachary Svajda to claim his second win of the tournament. This match marked their first-ever meeting on the ATP Tour, and for Djokovic, it was his 19th appearance at the US Open in New York since his debut in 2005 when he reached the third round. Two decades have forged countless memorable moments on this court for him.

Over the past 20 years, Djokovic has been a dominant force in tennis: 24 Grand Slam titles, 40 ATP Masters 1000 championships, 7 ATP Finals wins, an Olympic gold medal, and a record-breaking 428 weeks at the top of the ATP rankings.

From his perspective, tennis presents two ultimate challenges,one is to achieve a career Grand Slam or Golden Slam, and the other is to maintain the world No.1 ranking for an extended period.He believes that winning Grand Slams demands tremendous effort, while sustaining consistent performance and the ability to compete for the top spot requires round-the-clock attention to recovery, pre-match preparation, mental training, and every detail in between. Ultimately, on the court, the player must rely on themselves to win, and he admits feeling very fortunate to have reached his current achievements.

At this US Open, Djokovic aims to capture his 25th Grand Slam title—if successful, he will further extend his record for the most Grand Slam wins, marking another pursuit of major honors since his 2023 US Open victory.

Looking back on his career, his goals have evolved over time: as a child, he dreamed of winning Wimbledon; after achieving that and reaching world No.1 in 2011 at age 23, he didn’t stop there but hoped to continue competing for another 15 years with new ambitions. Fueled by this drive, he won three Grand Slams in 2011 and reached the French Open semifinals, pushing toward the career Grand Slam. When he finally achieved it in 2016, he felt exhilarated and relieved to shed the long-standing pressure from himself and others, allowing him to move beyond past accomplishments and consider new directions.

This US Open is his first tournament since losing in the Wimbledon semifinals in July. Although his form was not at its best against Renna Tiena in the first round and Svajda in the second, he dropped only one set and advanced to the third round smoothly. He acknowledged that every time he steps on the court, he must prove he still has what it takes to win; in the short term, the key is to seize the moment and find a way to victory, which has been his main approach to advancing this time.

However, Djokovic openly admits he is not fully satisfied with his current form, but fluctuations are natural in tennis. What matters is finding ways to win even when not at peak condition. He has always loved the thrill of competition and the drive to give his all on court, though he often pressures himself to maintain the highest level—a standard he knows is unrealistic. Still, his desire to compete against younger players motivates him to stay on the tour.

Next, Djokovic will face Cameron Norrie in the third round as his US Open journey continues.

[Look at me][Look at me][Look at me][Give myself a flower][Give myself a flower][Give myself a flower]

#Djokovic#​#USOpenNews#​