By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, September 2, 2021
Novak Djokovic outclassed Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 cruising into the US Open third round with his 23rd straight major match win.
Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA/US Open
The absence of line judges at this US Open hasn't slowed Novak Djokovic's major roll.
The top-seeded Serbian continues to call all the shots.
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Controlling the center of the court, Djokovic outclassed Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 cruising into the US Open third round with his 23rd straight major match win.
Continuing his hunt for history, Djokovic now stands five wins from becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar Grand Slam, which would be his record 21st major championship.
"I came out on the court with the right intensity, with the right focus," Djokovic told ESPN's Patrick McEnroe afterward. "It was definitely a better performance from my side than a couple of night's ago. Again, great atmosphere, always fun playing in front of New York fans, night session. You guys bring a lot of energy to us."
It's tough to use much of this match as a barometer for the world No. 1's level of play as Djokovic simply has too much game for the 121st-ranked Griekspoor, who scored his first career major main-draw win in the opening round.
Still, Djokovic was effective and efficient.
The Wimbledon winner belted 33 winners and broke serve six times in a controlled one hour, 39-minute match. While Griekspoor lacked the weapons to truly trouble Djokovic, when you're playing for history even straight forward matches can spike stress. Djokovic looked more comfortable on court tonight than he did in round won and rolled through five straight games to close sealing his 77th US Open match win with an ace.
"I guess it's probably more mental and emotional," Djokovic said of chasing tennis immortality. "Physically, I feel great. I can go a couple of hours every day. Actually, the longer the match goes, the better I feel I have more chances against anybody, really, in best of five.
"So it's really more about handling everything happening off the court, all the expectations. I'm trying to take it moment by moment really stay in the present moment and get the most out of it."
The three-time champion gave Griekspoor the run around early yanking him front to back with the drop shot lob combination in the fourth game. Djokovic broke to snatch a 3-1 lead 15 minutes into the match.
In his opening-round win over Holger Rune, Djokovic encountered some resistance from the teenager, who fired up the crowd. Tonight, Griekspoor, who swatted 30 aces in his opening-round win over Jan-Lennard Struff, struggled to dent the top seed’s superb defense managing just one ace in the first set.
Cruising through the set with conviction, Djokovic again tormented the world No. 121 with the dropper and sliding volley to seal a one-set lead.
The 34-year-old Serbian broke in Griekspoor’s opening service game of the second set stretching his lead to 3-0. A concentration lapse struck as missed forehand, steered a smash wide and sent a backhand beyond the baseline to give back the break in the seventh game.
That setback was a speedbump.
Resetting, Djokovic teased the leaping Amsterdam native with a clever rainbow lob and broke again when Griekspoor slapped a forehand into net.
This time, Djokovic made no mistake on serve sliding his 10th ace out wide for a two-set lead after 67 minutes.
Swinging more freely as the match progressed, Djokovic hit crisp combinations rolling into round three after 99 minutes.
Next up for Djokovic is a third-round match with 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori, who fended off American Mackenzie McDonald in a pulsating five-set win.
Nishikori knocked Djokovic off in the steamy 2014 Flushing Meadows semifinal and the Serbian has never forgotten. Since that setback, Djokovic has drilled the hope of out Nishikori winning 16 straight encounters often in ruthless fashion.
On his quest for the calendar Slam, Djokovic spoke like a man determined to make every match count.
"Grand Slams are different' [we] play best of five," Djokovic told ESPN's Pam Shriver and Chris McKendry afterward. "Kei is very experienced player. Definitely one of the quickest and most talented players I have seen during my career.
"We've had some battles particularly on the hard courts. He has probably the best history of Grand Slams here in New York and I'm sure he's going to be taking the ball early, trying to make me run and make my life difficult. I'll bring it on as well. I look forward to it."