Novak Djokovic was unable to make an overhead while he was trying to break the record for the first time on Thursday night. He also stared at the Arthur Ashe Stadium stands man who made noises during the point.
Djokovic broke right back in the second round of his U.S. Open victory. He glared at that direction as if to ask, “How do you like me now?” Miffed by the distractions, he later spoke with the chair umpire to discuss what is considered a no-no for tennis.
This is what kept the interest of this match alive. The final result — a 6-2 6-3, 6-1 victory for Djokovic against Tallon Griekspoor — was obvious after only 15 minutes. Maybe even before the No. On a cool and breezy evening, Djokovic, the No. 1 ranked player, and his 121st-ranked rival stepped onto the court.
“That guy was calling and raising the sound, screaming, just before I hit my smash. That was a huge point. He would do it several times before that. Djokovic stated that he would do it again after that. It wasn’t pleasant. That’s it. The noise is not bothersome to me. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important for entertainment, the crowds, and the music. I get it. It doesn’t matter if someone does it repeatedly – he will know why. He knew what he was doing and that was all that mattered to me.
Djokovic was not bothered by this, as his shot-making and service helped him to achieve the first calendar-year Grand Slam of men’s tennis dating back to 1969. He also claimed a 21st major title that surpassed the mark shared with Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal.
“All in all, very good. Djokovic stated that he was very happy with the quality of his tennis. All is moving in the right direction.”
This was a far better performance than Tuesday’s win. He was shocked to hear what he thought were boos, but were actually last-name chants that sounded like “Ruuuuune!” for Holger Vitus Nodskov Rane (18 years old).
Here’s the important thing: Djokovic is currently 2-0 at Flushing Meadows and 23-0 in Grand Slam tournaments, with five more wins remaining.
Djokovic, a 34 year-old Serbian player who will next face Kei Nishikori in the 2014 U.S. Open finals, said that “I am as motivated as ever to succeed.” “I’m trying to be the best that I can every day, and let’s just see what happens.”
