Djokovic Advances at U.S. Open after Djere Retires

Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title after fellow Serb Laslo Djere retired due to injury in their U.S. Open second-round match. Djokovic, now the first man to reach 90 wins at each Grand Slam, is set to face Alexei Popyrin next.

Defending U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic kept his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title alive on Wednesday after fellow Serbian Laslo Djere retired injured while trailing 6-4, 6-4, 2-0 in their second-round match. The unexpected turn came as Djere, who had posed a significant challenge initially, appeared to suffer an injury midway through the second set.

This win marked Djokovic's 90th victory at the U.S. Open, making him the first man to achieve that milestone at each of the four Grand Slam tournaments. “It's not what we want. It's not what the crowd wants, to see a walkover,” Djokovic stated, acknowledging the anticlimactic nature of the result. Djere struggled to maintain his form after an elbow surgery earlier in the season, which affected his mobility during the match.

Up next for Djokovic is Australian Alexei Popyrin, who has previously managed to win sets off him in Grand Slam encounters at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. “He's been playing some great tennis. No reason for him not to believe he can put up a great performance,” Djokovic remarked, preparing for another challenging round ahead.