Novak Djokovic surpassed Roger Federer and made US Open history in his first-round win over Radu Albot. The Serbian star comfortably beat the Moldovan qualifier at Arthur Ashe Stadium to conclude the first day of the tournament.
Djokovic won 6-2 6-2 6-4 to claim his 78th win on the signature court. It means he has now won more times on Arthur Ashe than any other male player, overtaking the great Federer after both players were previously tied on 77 victories.
Djokovic is a four-time winner of the US Open and is looking to match Federer’s five wins at the tournament. He’s also aiming to overhaul Margaret Court for the most grand slam singles titles with his 25th victory.
Djokovic discovered he’d surpassed Federer and made history after the match and immediately shared his reaction in his on-court interview. “I wasn’t aware of it to be honest…” he admitted.
It’s the biggest stadium. Definitely the loudest we have in the history of our sport. The night sessions are the best in the world on Arthur Ashe.. ever since the roof was introduced it became even louder. Electric atmosphere. Incredible energy.
Obviously with some new rules this year with the crowd able to move around, there are a lot of things happening on court we’re clocking midnight right now. I love night sessions.. maybe not this late.. but nevertheless it was great fun. I want to thank everybody for staying. I appreciate you.
Djokovic looked in impressive shape against Albot in his first match since winning Olympic gold in Paris a few weeks ago. Asked how he stays in such shape in his post-match interview, he said: “There’s not one word or secret that would describe it all. It’s just a way of life. Way to approach my tennis career.
“I was fortunate very early on in my life to be surrounded by knowledgeable and passionate people who were kind enough to share their guidance with me for years and they taught me very early on that prevention equals longevity. Stretching. Warm-up.
“Everything I do early on in my life will come back to me later in my career. The body is one part. The mentality and emotional, mental aspect is something on the other side. You’ve got to find the optimal balance between the two.
“Everything I do early on in my life will come back to me later in my career. The body is one part. The mentality and emotional, mental aspect is something on the other side. You’ve got to find the optimal balance between the two.
