“I’m still able to play five sets deep at night”: Djokovic fights back from two sets to love down to beat Djere in five

The 23-time Grand Slam winner from Serbia will face Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo in the next round

2 September 2023

Novak Djokovic, US Open 2023 | © Chryslène Caillaud / Panoramic

US Open •Third round • completed

For the eighth time in his career, 23-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic came from two sets to love down to win in five sets – this time against fellow Serb Laslo Djere in the third round of the US Open.

Playing the final match on Arthur Ashe Stadium under the lights, Djokovic found himself in a big hole as Djere, playing lights out tennis, won the first two sets 6-4, 6-4.

The 36-year-old Serb gave himself a pep talk during a bathroom break at the end of the second set and dug deep in his reserves to fight back and win the next three sets to complete the 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in three hours and 46 minutes.

“I think the message is sent to the rest of the field that obviously I’m still able to play five sets deep at night” Djokovic stated in the press conference. “Coming from two sets down always sends a strong message to the future opponents. At the same time I prefer a straight-set win. Hopefully I can get back on that track in the next match.”

This was the second time that Djokovic has come from a two-set-to-love down hole at the US Open – the first coming when he famously beat Roger Federer in the 2011 semi-final.

Djokovic, ranked No 2 currently but guaranteed of returning back to the top spot at the end of the US Open fortnight, will play Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo next.

He did it again. pic.twitter.com/qfNpSyA2yo
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2023

“Well, I would say two different matches, the first two sets, then the last three” Djokovic said after the victory. “Scoreline maybe doesn’t do justice for the third and fourth. I think it was much closer than 6-1, 6-1.”

“I thought he played terrific. I mean, I honestly have never seen him play like this. He was feeling the ball extremely well. Everything was kind of in his striking zone. He was tactically prepared very well.”

I thought he played terrific. I mean, I honestly have never seen him play like this.
Novak Djokovic on Laslo Djere

“I think he started off the match very, very good. He was far more comfortable than me. I was defending mostly in the first two sets. To be honest, I could have and should have played better, on a high level in these two sets, but huge credit to him for making me uncomfortable on the court and playing really some of the best tennis I’ve ever seen him play.”

He deserves to be ranked much higher than he is.
Djokovic on world No.38 Djere

The Serb had won both his previous matches in straight sets – against Frenchman Alexandre Muller (6-0, 6-2, 6-3) and Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles (6-4, 6-1, 6-1).

Djere, ranked No 38 in the world and described by Djokovic as one of the hardest workers on tour, beat American Brandon Nakashima (7-5, 6-4, 6-4) and French qualifier Hugo Gaston (6-1, 6-2, 6-3) earlier in the tournament. “I told him at the net he should keep going because if he’s going to continue playing this way, he’s only going to work his way up in the rankings” Djokovic added. “He’s a terrific guy, works extremely hard. Tonight he shows that he deserves to be ranked much higher than he is.”

New York (Grand Slam), other third-round matches (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 44,700,000, most recent results first):