‘Ageing’ Novak Djokovic calls for earlier starts after late-night opener at US Open

NEW YORK – Midnight matches may be popular with fans but not with old campaigner Novak Djokovic, who bemoaned a late night at the start of his US Open title defence on Aug 26.

The world No. 2 Serb beat qualifier Radu Albot of Moldova 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round but the 2hr 7min match stretched until midnight at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The pair were unable to take to the court until late due to Clara Burel’s 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 comeback win over Sloane Stephens, who crumbled after leading 6-0, 3-0.

“Well, I don’t think that ageing helps really staying so late and playing very late,” Djokovic, 37, said. “I can feel, you know, my batteries are low now. I’m shutting down.

“But it’s been a long wait, to be honest. I thought I’m going to go out on the court like 8.15 pm because Stephens was 6-0, 3-0 serving and then all of a sudden it turns out to be a 2½-hour match or whatever.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion added that “you just have to accept it” regarding night matches but hoped his matches can be scheduled earlier instead of being one of the later ones.

“I like playing night matches, but I love to start first,” he said.

“So hopefully I get more chances to play at night and am scheduled first so we can start at a more decent time and finish at a more decent time.

“I guess for the fans there is something special about late-night finishes, particularly post-midnight. For us, I don’t know. It’s not really what you want but if you get a win then it’s all good.”

Djokovic returned to the court for the first time since winning a long-coveted Olympic gold medal in the singles in Paris.

Although he easily brushed aside Albot, his lack of warm-up matches showed as he served up 10 double-faults and racked up nearly twice as many unforced errors (40) as winners (23).

“It’s always challenging to start, particularly when you haven’t played on this surface for five, six months and coming off an Olympic gold and playing on clay,” Djokovic assessed.

“I’m expecting to be probably challenged a little bit more in the opening rounds.

“The good thing about Slams is you have a day between matches where you can train, where you can really work on things and perfect your game. That’s what I need.”

In other matches, fourth seed Alexander Zverev needed four sets to get past lucky loser Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-2.

Andrey Rublev, seeded sixth, beat Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 and the eighth-seeded Casper Ruud advanced with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-2 win over China’s Bu Yunchaokete.

In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff launched the defence of her title with a convincing victory, powering into the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 win over France’s Varvara Gracheva.

The 20-year-old American fired 10 aces and needed just 66 minutes to beat the 66th-ranked Gracheva. She saved eight break points – including two with aces in the final game.

“It is definitely a lot of pressure this tournament but I’m just enjoying it,” said Gauff, who is seeded third behind world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.

“Last year was incredible, so I’m just bringing those vibes and whatever happens, happens.”

Gauff has battled through an erratic season since capturing her maiden Slam. Her tune-up tournaments saw her fall in the third round at Toronto, before she crashed out of her first match as the defending champion in Cincinnati.

“The last few weeks have been a little bit tough, today was I think the best tennis I’ve played in a while,” she added.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka also cruised into the next round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon. REUTERS, AFP