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Analysis Of Djokovic’s First Two US Open Rounds
8 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
By Scoop Malinowski
24 time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has not looked extraordinary so far at the 2025 US Open despite James Blake assertion on an ESPN broadcast that he thinks the 2025 version of Djokovic would beat the 2015 version.
Djokovic has struggled so far and experienced duress in both of his matches vs. young Americans Learner Tien and Zachary Svajda, losing only one set out of six but he looked vulnerable and beatable in most of the other sets due to sloppy baseline shots, plenty of missed returns and overall lackluster play that suggested he may not really feel like being in New York right now.
There are several reasons for Djokovic’s substandard performance so far. He is rusty and not match sharp from having not played since Wimbledon semis… He has lost a fraction of drive and hunger since accomplishing the greatest moment of his career, winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris last year… as boxing trainer Angelo Dundee once said, “The great champion has trouble getting up for mediocre fights.”
Every first week match at a major is a struggle for Djokovic because it’s expected he should win easily and comfortably every time. For him, it’s just another match, for the opponent, it’s the biggest and most important moment of their careers.
While trying to win and deal with these lopsided match dynamics, Djokovic has to try to conserve his energy for the second week and deal with all the extra-curricular activities that the most famous sportsman on earth has to spend much of himself on.
And every day at every tournament, everybody’s eyes are watching Djokovic. Every player and coach is studying his movements, his techniques, scanning for weaknesses. Every fan, media and tournament employee is watching him. Every celebrity wants to meet him. Everybody wants to talk with him. Every reporter is trying to interview him. Every kid wants a selfie and an autograph. There’s not a moment of relaxation while he’s at the venue. Even the 30-60 minute drive from Alpine, NJ to Flushing Meadows, NY (depending on traffic), is exhausting, bumpy and distressing.
It’s a miracle Djokovic is still Mr. Tennis. It’s hard to believe at 38 he is till a top contender to win the title, after reaching the semis in all three Grand Slams this year.
So far Djokovic has successfully navigated his way through the tournament and in the third round he will face another player he has dominated in the past but who is desperately motivated to rebuild his ranking and regain his status as an elite ATP top ten force instead of being relegated to journeyman status after a year of lousy results. Cam Norrie should be an easy win for Djokovic but there are no free rides now. You can be sure the British lefthander will fight tooth and nail and he will push Novak to his limits again, just like Tien and Svajda did.
Djokovic knows how to win Grand Slams but the question remains – does he still know what it takes to win a Grand Slam at an age when most of the all time greats of the ATP were long retired?
Does he have a solution to solving those two young, ferocious tigers in the top two ranking spots, who have infinite fuel in their energy tanks?
If Djokovic looks tired and weathered before the first weekend, how will his body and mind hold up into the second week and beyond, if he can get there?
There’s always the possibility Djokovic feels as strong as his body looks and he could be pretending to appear weak and beatable, to give opponents a subliminal false sense of confidence.
Djokovic is the greatest and smartest champion in the history of sport and he knows every trick in the book and then some more.
The fun and excitement are only just beginning at this US Open adventure for Novak Djokovic. He is five matches away from no. 25.
Alpine NJ · Asics · Cam Norrie · Head · Lacoste · Novak Djokovic · US Open
Sam · August 28, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Scoop, I have a different theory on why Djokovic has been looking a bit lackluster so far: He’s been watching too much Game, Set, Matchmaker! 😏
By the way, what’s the score on that hot babe who’s the star of the series? Is she just cruising through her matches, or will she remain forever broken at love??? 💔 🤣
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2025 at 9:47 pm
Sam I have no idea what is going on with that sideshow. I thought maybe they pulled the plug on it due to extreme criticism. It’s maybe the worst idea in tennis history.
Sam · September 1, 2025 at 6:18 am
It’s maybe the worst idea in tennis history.
Scoop, well, so far at least.
But next year, we get Worst Cooks in Tennis. And then in 2028, if things go to plan, tennis will get replaced entirely at the U.S. Open by pickleball. 🤣
Scoop Malinowski · September 1, 2025 at 8:32 am
Sam I am not trusting the creative minds who are running the US Open. Those phony publicity stunts with the hired actor nazi guy and the fake climate protest in Ashe, at least none of those silly publicity stunts this year. They are taking a different route this year.
Scoop Malinowski · September 2, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Genku: Virtually every existing societal system, from education and medicine to sports and entertainment, inevitably becomes a business model for profit-making in order to serve the few who rule and run the business.
Tennis is no exception. As the business of medicine has made people less healthy and that of education has made people less educated, the business of tennis is making the sport a spiritless spectacle. All are despiritualized and the very purposes of their existence become inverted.
Unfortunately, given the predominant state and level of human consciousness, when there is an axiological conflict between ethical value and economic value, the great majority of humans chooses the latter because most people in their hearts serve “mammon” (material enrichment and survival), not “God” (spiritual enhancement and evolution).
Novak Djokovic is one of the remarkable exceptions. He has shown that one can build great wealth by serving God, and by choosing ethical value over economic value when there is an axiological conflict (e.g., AO 2022).
Sam · September 10, 2025 at 6:07 am
Scoop, who is Genku?
Scoop Malinowski · September 10, 2025 at 8:20 am
Genku is a pretty interesting guy on X, Japanese.
Sam · September 18, 2025 at 2:43 am
Well, what he said made a lot of sense. I guess if you want to see the real “soul” of tennis, you’ll be more likely to find it at the lower echelons of the sport.