In his long-awaited return after six weeks away, Novak Djokovic looked, at times, like a warrior fighting his own body. The 38-year-old staggered through stretches of his US Open opener against American teenager Learner Tien, his frustration spilling over as fatigue set in. Yet, when the storm hit hardest, he summoned grit, controlled his nerves, and turned the battle in his favor. Having already reached three Grand Slam semi-finals this year, Djokovic still stands among the elite, but he admits the physical toll of five-set tennis grows heavier. And now that he has reached the US Open‘s third round, he honestly spoke about his body’s struggles while continuing to compete.

Novak Djokovic once again battled through turbulence at the US Open, grinding out a second-round victory that was more about survival than spectacle. The 38-year-old, far from his flowing best, dropped the opening set against American qualifier Zachary Svajda before clawing his way back with grit and precision. His 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 triumph extended his flawless second-round record in New York and secured a 19th appearance in the tournament’s third round.

Yet beneath the scoreline lies a deeper truth. Djokovic’s aura of invincibility has begun to bend against the weight of time. Long rallies and physical demands now test his endurance in ways they once did not, and the Serbian himself is the first to acknowledge the toll.

“It is a little bit different in the past couple of years for me,” Djokovic admitted after the match. “Kind of get a wear and tear quicker than I used to. I have to deal with that, a lot of recovery stuff off the court to try to make myself able to perform at the highest level for as many hours on the court.”

(More to come…)

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